Cursed
by Kayleigh Cullen1918
Summary: Cursed before birth, Bella Stevens only knows kindness and love. She enjoys her quiet, small town life. That is until her twin decides to pay a visit. Her opposite in every way, Jessica doesn't just bring luggage with her, but danger to Bella's doorstep. Edward's tasked with getting close to Bella Stevens in case Jessica turns up. That is until he falls for her.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N Hi guys! I have no idea why it changed all the names back to the Fiction Press version, so I've changed them back while a cat is sitting on my head. My phone is across the room and I can't move to get it.**

 **Chapter One**

She watched him. Despite the darkness, Mike felt those cold eyes observing every breath he took, every curse, and, to his shame, every uncontrollable whimper.

A single candle flickered from a round table. Just enough light to appreciate her handiwork, he thought bitterly.

Next to the candle, if he focused hard enough, he could make out the familiar lines of his dagger. A blade he received the day he completed his training to become a Warrior. He'd used it to kill, to defend. He even used it to slice the skin off apples. Now, it lay on a table, slick with his blood, stolen and used against him.

 _She did this to me_ , he thought, gritting his teeth against the pain wracking his body. Yes, he attempted to kill her first, but he intended to make it quick. Painless, Mike thought, somewhat hysterically.

The witch had shown him no such leniency.

How long he'd hung there? Mike didn't have a clue. Long enough for his fingers to turn to ice, for the blood to drain from his arms as he hung like a piece of meat. Fortunately, his arms moved past agony a while back. Now, when it came to his abused limbs, he felt nothing. A bad sign, right?

Luckily, the rest of his body still made him want to weep for mercy.

Mike may not know where she'd taken him, but he'd seen enough horror movies for his imagination to run wild. Knowing his luck, she'd taken him to some dingy basement, in the middle of nowhere. Not another soul for miles. No one to hear him scream. Or, he'd wake up in a few hours with one of his kidney's missing.

He tried, through his swollen eyes, to make out his surroundings. He didn't see windows or any indication of where he might be. Aside from the light the tiny flame of the candle gave off, he was in darkness.

Mike didn't even know how he got here. The last thing he remembered, waking up next to a beautiful brunette.

He struck first, but even with enhanced speed, he hadn't been fast enough. Raising her delicate hand, she tossed him across the room like a ragdoll without laying a finger on him. The last thing he saw before falling unconscious was her standing at his head, promising him he'd regret his actions.

Since waking up, naked, hanging from his wrists, she'd clawed at his bare skin, beaten him, slapped him. Threatened to castrate him using his own dagger. Sweat beaded his forehead at that one. His entire body shaking violently when he felt the whisper of steel against his favorite appendage.

She laughed, he remembered. She gleefully informed him that's what happened to men who toyed with her. Then she rammed a blade into his upper thigh, just missing his femoral artery.

A good thing _,_ Mike thought wryly. He'd much rather she continue to slice and dice his poor, abused flesh, than quickly bleed to death.

"Tell me who sent you, Mike. I'll let you live. Lie to me again, I start taking fingers."

Mike looked toward the sound of her sultry voice drifting from the shadows. While her face remained hidden to him, but her eyes glowed. The mark of a witch, he knew. All witches' eyes, dark or light, good or evil, glowed a magnificent gold when using their abilities.

And she used hers against him plenty. But nothing compared to the time she held his weapon over the flame, a makeshift branding iron, searing the letter _J_ into his beaten flesh. Mike blanched at the memory.

When he got out of this, he vowed, she'd feel true pain. She'd be bound, unable to defend herself, while he sought vengeance for every wound he suffered. The humiliation he endured because of her. The image of her torture, her suffering, almost brought a smile to his abused lips. Oh, yes, he'd make her pay.

Reports of a witch's depravity, her thirst for others pain, was the reason his commander sent him to Brooklyn. From what his gaffer informed him, someone as evil as the witch needed, at best, obliterating. Captured, at the very worst. Now, after everything she put him through, Mike believed the reports didn't do her justice.

"No," he gasped out, finding it difficult to speak, to breathe. He'd been hanging too long. A human wouldn't survive it. Mike, for all his strength, didn't have much time left. He needed to find a way out soon, or game over.

 _You're kidding yourself,_ he thought. _It's already game over. You're as good as dead._

Mike accepted the knowledge with a flood of self-recrimination. He underestimated her, overestimated his own skill and strength. His arrogance bit him on the ass. He would die this night. All he could do now is protect his brothers.

Try as she might, she'd never uncover who sent him by messing around in his head. Long ago, his people created a fire wall of sorts, protecting their identities should one of them be taken, and tortured, for information. Like the very situation Mike found himself in now. Let her rifle through his mind all she liked, she'd never find the information she sought. The only way she'd discover who sent him, is if he told her. Mike refused to betray his people.

He glowered, as much as possible with a mangled face, at the witch. Her luminous eyes giving away her location.

"I won't tell you a damn thing."

Her laugh was, perversely, beautiful. "That's what they all say, Mike. At first. But everyone has a breaking point. As you can see, I have a talent for finding it for them."

His beaten body shook violently, fire shot through his veins at the implication of the number of men, women, and god help him, children, who found their breaking points thanks to her.

Revolted by her, unable to find the words to express the force of his rage, his fury, he spat at her. An action he abhorred, but seemed appropriate for her.

"Fuck you," he snarled.

"You already did that." Chuckling, she stepped into the light. Looking up into his eyes, she added with a small smile, "I enjoyed myself immensely."

Shame surged within him. Never a man of exceptional morals, he did as he pleased, regardless of what others might think. He didn't deny his selfishness, refused to feel guilt for taking what he wanted. The only ones he truly gave a damn about being the men he fought alongside. They weren't men of exceptional morals, either.

 _Still_ , he chided himself, _I shouldn't have slept with her._

Regret left a bitter taste on his tongue. Why did he do it? Why didn't he think with something other than his dick? Taken her out on the spot? Mike knew if he died tonight, and she went on to kill others, their blood would be on his hands.

Mike thought back to the night he met her, remembering just how badly he'd wanted her. Needed her.

Among his brothers, Mike was famous for his promiscuity, but he'd never let his libido interfere with a job before. Yet, the moment he laid eyes on her, all he thought about is how she'd taste, the way she'd look writing beneath him. His orders vanishing from his mind, she consumed his every thought.

Despite his reputation, his actions were out of character. He'd seen beautiful women before, enjoyed many hot and sweaty night's with too many to count, but never let it affect his duties. So why did he that night? Or better yet, what did she do to him?

The bitch must have done something to him. In his heart, his gut, he knew it.

Mike yearned to turn back time, to walk into that club with one of his brother's there to watch his back. Or a way to fight whatever magic she'd used against him. Maybe then, he wouldn't be here, agony ripping into him like broken glass through soft flesh. Shame threatening to engulf him.

He couldn't turn back time, though. Too late for that now.

Receiving commands from his superior, he tracked her down. A evil witch who liked to prey those weaker than herself. Easy. He planned to take the witch's heart before she knew what hit her. The world a safer place without her in it, he'd go home, and finish the movie marathon he started hours before.

A simple job, if not for the way he reacted to her. Strolling into the bar that night, eager for rush that came with taking out an enemy, he looked forward to the hunt. Only once he saw her, breathed in her scent, his plans went out the window, his good intentions no longer mattered.

To Mike, she looked like an angel. Still did, even as she stood below him, his blood staining her hands. A gleam of cruelty in her golden eyes.

She stunned him with her beauty, tempted him with her mouth-watering, womanly figure. The black dress she wore clinging to her breasts. Her curves made it almost too easy to brush aside his true reason for being there that night.

Mike, the seasoned Warrior, disappeared. In his place, a lust-filled male, determined to nail the breath-taking woman in a revealing black dress.

He approached her as he would any woman he intended to bed. Sauntering up to her, confident, almost arrogant, he asked her to dance. She glanced up, wide brown eyes taking in his muscular form. She smiled, he remembered. Placing her hand in his, she allowed him to lead her to the crowded dance floor.

A mistake of epic proportions. He came to kill her, not bang her. But he didn't care. He didn't care about his orders, or his commander's disappointment. The woman grinding her body against his was a monster, and he dismissed it.

She'd been out of this world. Doing things to him he never imagined, never mind tried with another person. They spent the night pleasuring each other, until finally falling into an exhausted sleep.

A spell. It must be a spell, he thought again. Shagging her was one thing, sleeping with her another altogether.

He woke the next morning with a clear head, Mike remembered, confirming his suspicions. Whatever spell she'd cast now over, he hissed a curse for the mistake he'd made.

Mike reached his blade without hesitating. His Warrior persona kicking in swiftly, he braced himself to take the life of the woman he spent the night with.

If only she slept a litter longer.

Opening her eyes, she saw the blade in his hand. He readied himself to face her rage. To his astonishment, she whispered, "About time, isn't it?" Lifting her hand, she used her gifts against him.

Mike didn't stand a chance.

He underestimated her strength, Mike understood now. He assumed, fully alert with magic at her fingertip's, she'd be an easy hit. Or, most likely, he overestimated his own strength. Believed his enemy a small, vulnerable woman, easily disposed of. Nothing he couldn't handle. He continued to believe it, despite becoming aware of how easily she manipulated him in the club.

His arrogance placed him in this position.

With a growl, Mike fought his restraints. Desperate to escape, he tried to break the shackles holding him hostage. His jaw clenched tight, face turning red as he used the last of his strength to gain his freedom. Body slick with blood and sweat, veins bulging along his arms, his neck and temple's, he grunted, ignoring the blood tEleazarling down his arm as metal tore into flesh. All to no avail. His attempt a failure, it depleted the last of his strength. "This is pointless," he snapped. "I'm not going to tell you a damned thing." Oh god, he hoped he spoke the truth. In all his years, he'd never broke before. In training, in battle, he never gave up his men. But he'd never felt this weak before, either. After what must be days of torment, he just wanted it to stop.

She huffed. "Well, perhaps if you hadn't attempted to stab me in the heart with a dagger, I might agree. But you did, so I don't," she quipped. Suddenly, her angelic features morphed into those of a screaming banshee. Mike recoiled at her sudden change. "Tell me who sent you!"

Blinking rapidly, his ears ringing from her piercing screech, his hatred for her gave him the energy to defiantly grind out, "No."

Rocking back on her heels, she blew out a frustrated breath before visibly calming herself. "Fine. We'll do this the hard way." Reaching up with a delicate hand, she cupped his face. A face bloodied and bruised thanks to her. His once handsome features, now a mess. Disfigured from the force of her blows.

The witch began to speak in a whisper. A sound meant to soothe him, Mike assumed. A soft voice lulling him into a false sense of security. Even if he fell for it, the pain pulsing through his body proved an excellent reminder.

"Just tell me who sent you, Mike. If you do, I promise, this will end. You can go home. I won't come for you. I just want a name."

He remained silent. Regret weighing heavy in his heart, he accepted his fate. He'd die in this shit hole. In the dark, hanging from his wrists, surrounded by the stench of his own piss and blood.

Her lips tightened. "Fine. But know this—many men have hung here, deluded themselves in thinking they can withstand one of my favorite games. I enjoyed breaking them. They spilled their guts. Told me everything I wanted to hear before I ended their miserable lives. It's a lesson I enjoy teaching, one I look forward to sharing with you. After you do, the second you give up the bastards who sent you, I will cut out your heart. Gut you with your own blade. And after that," she continued darkly, "I'll hunt your people down. Bathe in the blood of everyone you know. Everyone you love. So, I'm going to give you one last chance to save yourself. Give me what I want."

Mike knew these were no idle threats. The witch meant every word. She'd hunt down his brothers, kill everyone involved. Everyone he cared about.

She would put him in the ground. Break him, like she did with all the other unlucky bastards who had the misfortune to cross her path. The only thing he could do now is keep his mouth shut. Soon, his people would discover his death. And hunt her down, he thought with a grim smile. His only regret now, he wouldn't be around to see the bitch pay for her crimes.

He smirked at the witch. It hurt, but he refused to wince at the pain it cost him. "Go to hell."

 _You're strong,_ Mike assured himself as she grasped his beloved blade in her small fist, glided with the grace of a dancer toward him. _I can handle this_ , he told himself, chanting it silently in his mind. He almost believed it too, until she raised the blade, bringing it down, viciously sinking his dagger into exposed flesh. White, hot pain consuming him, against his will, Mike tossed his head back and screamed.

#

Jessica Donovan wiped the blade, staining the brilliant white cloth red. Satisfied, she examined the male she cheerfully sliced to ribbons. Laughed at his eventual pleas for mercy. A man who, only hours ago, she invited into her bed, taken into her body.

A handsome man, with muscles she wanted to take a bite out of. And did. Great in the sack. Even now, hanging there like a gutted pig, he still appeared alluring to her.

It took Jessica longer to break him than she'd thought. He tried so hard to remain strong, stoic, and she admired him for it. But like all the others, eventually, he begged, pleaded with her to stop. She dismissed his pleas, of course. Instead, dragging the embedded blade down his chest, tearing flesh and muscle, enjoying his cries of agony as warm blood coated her hands, ran down his body, dripping onto the stone floor.

Jessica placed the cloth slowly on the table, a small crease forming between her brow, darkening her beautiful features as she remembered his broken words. His final words.

The Bràthaireil.

Jessica brought her hand to her lips, grazing blood-stained fingertips across her lower lip, and she tried to think of a way out of this mess. Growing up, her adoptive parents taught of her such creatures. A brotherhood founded in Scotland, a bunch of Warriors who think they're so big and bad—most likely because they are the strongest of their kind.

 _And they're coming for me,_ Jessica thought, biting down on the tip of her thumb.

She'd always known someone would come for her, eventually. She killed many throughout the years, making more than a few enemies. Only she'd hoped, when the time came, it might be someone a little easier to defeat.

Not knowing who would, or when, the attack might come, fearing they might strike from behind, she wore a glamour. A trick she'd perfected over the years to ensure whoever laid eyes on her will be helpless against her. Unable to resist her.

It worked wonderfully with Mike.

Did he really think her ignorant to his identity? Was he blind to the power clinging to him like a second skin? Of course, once her glamour wore off, his initial intentions returned. He attacked swiftly, but she quickly took control of the situation.

From the moment he approached in the nightclub, she'd known his true identity. Not a horny human asking her to dance, but a Warrior, mid hunt. To her frustration, while scanning his mind she came up against an impenetrable wall when searching for those who sent him. Now, she knew.

Jessica enjoyed lying. Making up fun little stories and manipulating others, but she never lied to herself, and didn't intend to start now. She couldn't take them on alone and win. From what she'd learned of them, they'd hunt her down. Never stopping until they destroyed the witch who slaughtered one of their own. Until they decimated her, or died trying.

Maybe she should lay low for a while, she pondered, pursing her lips. Give herself time to think, to plan. Find a way to take out the Bràthaireil before they got to her.

An idea popped into her mind, tugging her lips into a slow smile. Her golden eyes gleamed. The idea forming in her mind was forbidden, she knew. Carlisle might blow a gasket, but she couldn't care less. Her heart leaped in excitement. With the idea in her fresh in her mind, happiness rippling through her, she declared no other course of action acceptable.

Ecstatic, Jessica left Mike's naked body dangling, rushing from the room without a backward glance. She needed to pack. If she moved quickly she'd be there by morning, away from this mess and finally see the only person who truly mattered.

Yes, she must go at once. The sooner she departed, the sooner she arrived.

The door closing behind her, she whispered to herself, "It's time to pay my baby sister a surprise visit."

#

"Keep your hands up, kid," Edward Campbell commanded sharply, landing yet another blow to the younger male's jaw.

Tyler Kendrick blinked hard, shaking his head, and resembling a wet dog, in a bid to rid himself of the high-pitched ringing in his ears. Edward packed one hell of a punch. Only weeks away from completing his training, he'd yet to get a hit in against the infamous Warrior.

"I'm tryin'," Tyler muttered.

Well past midnight, the two men had been going at it in the boxing ring for over an hour. Stubbornness a strong trait in the Kendrick family, Tyler refused to quit until he got in at least one hit. So far, all he managed to do is volunteer as his mentor's punching bag.

Bone tired, hot and sticky with sweat, and, despite the head guard, Tyler ached like a bitch.

Located in the basement, steel-colored walls matched the carpeted floors in the immense gym. The brightly lit space a fitness fanatic's dream. In one section, a nearly endless line of exercise equipment—treadmills, cross-trainers, exercise bikes. Despite what people assumed, Warriors, like humans, worked hard to keep up their stamina.

In another section, sat an array of weights. Warriors in general held incredible strength, but if a male wanted to join the respected brotherhood, average strength wouldn't cut it. The males trained for it, pushing themselves hard, pilling on weight after weight. Observing them, Tyler feared their bones might snap, just like that dude from the internet.

In Tyler's favorite part of the gym, wrought iron monkey bars, as well as punching bags, speed bags. And, a boxing ring where he delighted in getting his ass handed to him. Like now.

Edward scoffed. "Tryin' isn't good enough. Forget we're in a boxing ring. Act as if you're out there, on the street. If you run into a demon on patrol, and you can't defend yourself, you're dead. We may not be human, but we still need to protect our heads, kid. One hit can knock you out cold, or blur your vision. It can give a demon the upper hand. One hit to your face can be the difference between life and death. You need to do better," he stressed.

 _Do better?_ He thought. Against Edward? A legend amongst the Bràthaireil. Edward. As a child, Tyler decided to join the legion of Warriors, like his father before him—all because of the man standing in front of him, sweaty and frustrated.

Edward, a legend, who fought dirty? He might be known as a stylist-a boxer who relied on skill rather than brawn-, but he fought dirty.

The first time Tyler stepped inside the ring with Edward, much to his humiliation, he'd been caught cold. After that, his once playful mentor became ruthless in the ring. Tyler woke up confused, sore, his cheek pressed against the canvas, too many times to count. Edward's unrelenting beatings came from a good place, he knew. His mentor wanted him to succeed. But it still hurt like a bitch.

He signed up for this, Tyler reminded himself, rolling his sore shoulders. He'd take every beating, every broken bone, and each laceration, with a smile. If it meant earning a place within the respected brotherhood, he'd do it. Every male in his family served with the Bràthaireil.

Tyler refused to end such an honored tradition.

The Bràthaireil, the best of the best. Accepting only the strongest, the fastest in their ranks. A place amongst them wasn't handed to a male because he happened to be born a Warrior. He must earn it through hard work, blood, and yes, tears.

Tyler would do anything to join their ranks.

"I'm ready."

Approval lit Edward's green eyes. But before they could continue, someone shouted out, bringing them to a halt.

"Edward!"

Both turned to face the male standing near the entrance of the gym.

"Yeah?"

"The gaffer wants you in his office."

Edward used his forearm to wipe the sweat dripping into his eyes. "Now?"

He sneered. "No, next week. Yes, now." Spine rigid, he excited the gym without another word.

A muscle jumped in Edward's jaw, his steely eyes narrowing as the man disappeared from sight. Tyler did not envy the male when his mentor caught up with him. Another bit of information he gained since moving into the stately home, no one disrespected Edward. Edward earned his position, the respect of his brothers, through hard work, skill, and sheer ruthlessness on the battlefield. No one got away with talking to him like that. Not even Emmett, commander of the brotherhood.

Edward turned back to Tyler. "Hit the punching bag, kid. Remember what I told you. From now on, keep your hands up."

"Yes, sir."

Edward ducked through the ropes. Dropping to ground on steady feet, he strode out of the gym.

Nope, Tyler didn't envy the man one bit.

#

 _Little prick,_ Edward thought sourly, exciting the basement gym.

"No, next week," he muttered under his breath, mockingly. "Very fucking original." Edward didn't recall the man's name, but he planned to find out.

Continuing his muttering, he made his way through wide hallways of the secluded house he called home since the age of eighteen. One big frat house, in his mind, with countless game rooms and nothing but beer in the refrigerator. None of them exactly skilled in the kitchen, they ate out often. Either that or starve. Or balloon up to the size of a house from all the fast food they'd order.

It beat living in some dingy apartment, that's for sure.

The priceless art, antique furniture, and architectural beauty of the building, all lost on the men who resided within the elegant home.

On the day Tyler arrived, he looked up, wide-eyed, slack-jawed, mumbling something about walking onto the set of _Downton Abbey_. Clueless to his mumbling's, Edward noted he looked impressed.

Reaching the office of Emmett Gordon, Edward didn't bother knocking. Emmett, Edward's mentor long ago, when he trained to become a Warrior. His teacher, his inspiration. His confidant. Eventually, they became friends. Edward encouraging him to apply for the role of Commander. Then, once Emmett earned the position, they'd gotten blind drunk in this very office. After all they'd gone through, the ups and downs; he considered such common courtesies as knocking unnecessary.

Perhaps they should, Edward thought, thinking back to a time when he barged in the office to see Emmett, bare-ass naked, on the sofa with a blonde bouncing on top of him.

He swung open the door; saw Emmett pacing back and forth his extravagant headquarters. The walls a warm brown, the furniture costing more than Edward made in a year. And, of course, a fully stocked bar. Many nights they talked into the small hours of the morning over a glass of scotch.

While Emmett made an excellent solider, he desired more than to come home to his family with fresh wounds night after night. Not that he had a family, yet, but he wanted more for himself. He told Edward of his plans as they stood over his father's open grave. Heavy rain pouring down, Emmett vowed he wouldn't die in the dirt like his father. And his father before him.

Emmett became the commander. Now he sent other people to die in the dirt, he quipped one night. Both men, after drinking a little too much, found it hysterical, and spent the rest of the night drinking themselves stupid.

Emmett nodded once in acknowledgment. Edward noted his friend's jerky movements, his rigid shoulders, and tensed. _Something's wrong,_ he realized.

Emmett lifted his chin, gesturing toward the corner of the room where three people sat on the luxurious leather couch.

 _Oh, this is just terrific,_ Edward inwardly groaned, his eyes zeroing in on the gorgeous strawberry blonde who sat on the couch as if a haughty princess surrounded by filthy commoners.

Tanya Beckett, tall and beautiful, looked up, her pale blue eyes shooting daggers at him. _Shouldn't have slept with her_ , he decided.

They'd shared a few rolls across the sheets, a few laughs, when she hinted at wanting more. Edward didn't and she hated him for ending things between them.

 _She'll get over it_ , he dismissed her, turning to face his friend.

"What's going on?" he asked Emmett.

"Mike's dead." Emmett spat out the words. Cold, brutal, they threatened to knock his legs from under him.

Edward recoiled. "What? When? How?"

A skilled, experienced fighter, and quick on his feet, Mike threw a punch that left a man dizzy for days. He'd nearly won a few rounds with Edward in the boxing ring.

Edward's breath caught, his mind refused to accept what Emmett words.

Emmett exhaled heavily. "I tasked Mike with hunting down a woman. A witch drawing too much attention to herself in Brooklyn. Not the good kind of attention, either."

Edward held up a hand, stopping him. "Wait, he got taken down by one witch? I don't believe it."

Tanya spoke from the sofa, her voice cold as winter as she said, "Well, believe it. Besides, she's no ordinary witch."

Edward ignored her. His gaze remained on his friend, his leader. "Are you sure?" Mike, cocky, funny, movie-obsessed Mike, dead? Murdered by a witch? No.

Emmett nodded once, his eyes unreadable. "I felt him take his last breath, Edward," he replied gruffly. "He's dead."

Nodding slightly, his heart sank in grief at the loss of his brother, Edward accepted the truth.

Once a male completed his training and joined Bràthaireil, he received a dagger of his own. During the initiation ceremony, he used that very blade to slice his hand, making a blood exchange with his commander. From that moment forward he shared a connection with his leader until death. Emmett would know the instant Mike left this world.

Now that Edward accepted the what happened to his slain brother, vengeance rushed forward. A dark, vicious craving, clawing at his gut, demanding to be sated. "Where's the witch now?"

"That's where they come in." Emmett nodded toward the set of witches sitting uncomfortably on the couch. "I sent men to Brooklyn when he didn't answer my phone calls. They've found his body, but the witch has disappeared. They're looking for new leads, but they say it doesn't look good. No one can find her," he added, disgusted.

"If no one can find her, why are they here?"

Tanya huffed, folding her arms across her chest. "Because, thanks to us, you now know who you're searching for."

"I ordered the men I sent to Brooklyn to track down the witness who identified the witch to Mike, but she's dead," Emmett explained, both men ignoring Tanya's outburst. "Murdered. Her throat slit. I recalled most witches can mess with people's heads. I recollected Tanya's gift to project her thoughts into other minds, and presumed, if someone saw Mike with the witch, Tanya might be able to see, and then project the image to me. We'd have a face to search for."

Carmen, a pretty thing with a mass of dark curls and large brown eyes, cleared her throat. "While Tanya can see into minds, project her thought's, sharing what she sees with others, I can see the moments leading up to a person's death. I don't need to be near the body, but it makes it a hell of a lot easier. My gift takes a lot of concentration. I need something of the victims, like an item of clothing, as a channel to lead my spirit to theirs. I see what they see, feel what they feel. If their death is recent, I can potentially see up to a week before his or her death."

"What did you see?" Edward demanded harshly.

Her shoulder's stiffened at his brusque tone. Thanks to his short time with Tanya, he recalled witches didn't care for orders. Right now, with grief weighing heavily in his chest, he didn't give a shit what they cared for.

"Go on," Tanya encouraged her fellow witch.

"I saw him receive his orders from Emmett. I felt his annoyance. He didn't want to stop watching a slasher movie on his couch. I saw him meet with the witness, and finally, approach the witch." She hesitated. "He slept with her," she added uncomfortably.

Edward gaze remained steady, in no way shocked by his late brother's actions. Known for banging everything in sight, why would Mike let a little thing like an assignment, or her being his target, keep him from bedding a woman?

"What happened afterward?" he asked, knowing they'd most likely already gone over this, but needing to hear it for himself.

Carmen shifted in her seat. "After they…finished, they fell asleep. In the morning, when he woke up, he went for her. A real prince," she drawled.

Edward's brow furrowed. He didn't doubt Mike would happily ignore his duties if it meant getting laid, but to spend the night? Leave himself vulnerable to attack? It didn't make sense.

"You didn't even know him," Benjamin, another of Edward's brothers, hissed from his spot in the corner of the room. Upon entering, Edward noted his brother's presence, but didn't pay him any attention after that.

Out of all his "brothers," Benjamin kept to himself the most. He rarely spent time with the other's, unless on a battlefield. Edward didn't know why Benjamin sat in on the meeting, or why he appeared so furious over Carmen's comment.

Her expression one of disgust, she replied scornfully, "I know instead of killing a dangerous monster, he decided to get a piece of ass. I'm sorry your brother died, but I refuse to ignore that he squandered his opportunity because he wanted to get laid."

Before Benjamin could make another outburst, Edward shot him a look that told him to shut his damn mouth. "Continue," he ordered gently. He didn't blame her for being pissed off. Mike messed up. And it cost him his life.

Carmen took a deep breath. "The witch saw him coming, and she's powerful. Sent him flying into the wall with nothing more than a flick of her wrist. He woke somewhere dark. A pipe dripped water nearby. Other than the glow of a candle, he didn't see much. The things she did to him—barbaric." She shuddered. "Inhuman. He held out for as long as possible, but eventually, he couldn't take it any longer. I'm sorry, but he gave you up. After that, she didn't need him anymore."

Edward turned to Emmett for confirmation. He nodded, his face pale beneath his scruff of beard. "I let Tanya in my head. She's telling the truth."

Edward gaped, shocked Emmett allowed her to show him anything. Ever since a bad experience involving a telepathic witch, he believed in building strong mental walls. While witches entered most minds easily, not when it came to Emmett. They needed permission to enter his mind.

Letting Tanya in proved his desperation to find the woman who murdered one of his men. It also meant he experienced every moment of Mike's torture leading up to his demise.

 _No wonder he looks like shit_ , he thought.

"Okay," Edward began. "You said we don't know who she is, or where to find her. Can someone please tell me what we do next?"

Eleazar, the only male among the witches, leaned forward. "That's where we come in. After Carmen shared what she saw with us, Tanya recognized her."

Tanya asked, "Have you heard of the Rose coven in England? Or the Sayer coven in Wales?"

Edward shrugged. "Sorry, I don't really keep up with the news in Witch Weekly."

She gritted her teeth at his response. "The Rose coven is one of the strongest, most prominent covens in England," she began slowly, her features pinched in anger. "My mother, who lived in London at the time, told me of Amelia Rose. Three decades ago, Amelia fell in love with David Sayer. The community considered a good match. Both from powerful families, both attractive, and highly skilled in witchcraft. Their marriage united two extremely powerful covens. A year later Amelia fell pregnant. But to everyone's surprise, instead of one baby, she delivered twin daughters."

"They're witches. If she were having twins, why didn't she know it from the beginning?" Edward wondered. He didn't see how a witch could miss something so obvious, powerful witch or not.

"Yes, they are witches," Tanya agreed, "but they're not midwives. I don't know why it came as such a surprise to everyone. Pregnancy with witches has never been straightforward. Like most of the supernatural world, we're discouraged from seeking out medical professionals, who would have known. As to why they didn't, who knows? It's possible Amelia's, perhaps the twins, magic, influenced things somehow. May I continue now?"

Edward smirked at her impatient tone. "Of course."

Tanya looked like she wanted to deck him. "Apparently, everything was wonderful. The babies happy, and thriving. Until, like something out of a bad fairy tale, one day a psychic came to them. Spoke of a curse placed on their daughters. No one believed him, at first. Such beautiful, healthy babies, cursed? Soon, it came out David's elder brother, a man his own blood believed unhinged, didn't share his family's happiness over his David's marriage. When Amelia fell pregnant, it's said he became overcome with jealously. He resented his brother's perfect life. The way my mother tells it, he sought out a dark witch to create a curse. To end his brother's happiness. What neither he, nor the dark witch, knew as they created the curse, is its instability. Made more so, because they created it with one child in mind. Just like everyone else, he didn't know Amelia would give birth to twins."

"What's it created to do?"

"Apparently, even Stuart, David's brother, as batshit crazy as my mom said he is, couldn't bring himself to harm a child. Instead, he cursed her to become a force of great evil, knowing his coven would deem the child too dangerous to live. The covens would do the dirty work-destroy David's happiness-for him."

"But she gave birth to twins. If the curse they created is unstable, how did the second child affect it?" Emmett asked curiously.

Tanya replied, "If anyone else created it? Nothing. But, apparently, Stuart never held much power, not in comparison with his brother. It didn't help when he chose an old, crazy dark witch, either. The curse, already volatile, altered somewhat with the birth of the second female."

"How?"

"The psychic who informed the covens of the twin's fate, was unable to determine which baby held true evil within her heart. Avery, the eldest, or Clara, the younger twin. Did it even matter who came into the world first? No one could tell. What he did know, is how the birth of twins altered it. Declaring, one day, while one sister would live with evil in her heart. The other, would live with only goodness."

"Seriously?" Edward demanded in disbelief. As far as curses went, it didn't sound very impressive.

Tanya nodded. "Sounds stupid, I know. But his plan worked like a charm. After everything came out in the open, they took Stuart prisoner. David demanded he be executed. Only, he escaped. Never to be heard from since. With Stuart gone, and the witch refusing to remove the curse, they didn't stand a chance. No one knew how to break it. David and Amelia feared what came next. My mom witnessed the day the covens passed their sentence. To destroy the twin's at once, before the curse came into fruition. For the greater good," she added flatly.

"Fucking witches," Emmett muttered, pouring Edward a scotch. He didn't to offer anyone else a drink.

Edward accepted the drink, surprised his fingers were steady as he lifted the glass to his lips. While he appeared calm on the outside, inside he trembled. Rage at the loss of his brother burned like a hot fist in his gut. Thirst for revenge a vile taste in his mouth, no amount of scotch could wash away.

Eleazar scowled. "I don't think you are the ones to judge anyone right now, Emmett. A decision as grave as this wouldn't be made lightly. Unlike your people, we _need_ to think of the greater good. We do what needs to be done, despite our emotions. We don't shag the enemy first, then call ourselves heroes," he finished scathingly.

Once again, Benjamin shot to his feet. "Shut your mouth," he thundered. Edward noted his trembling form, his flushed cheeks. Evidently looking for a fight, he'd found his opponent.

Eleazar's light brown eyes flared gold, a visible sign of a witch tapping into their power. "Make me," he goaded.

"Enough," Emmett snapped. His attention turned to Tanya. "What does the Rose coven have to do with this? I remember hearing a little about this when it happened. They're dead, right? They went into hiding, but didn't survive more than a month. Their own family came in the night. Set the house ablaze while they slept."

Edward thought himself lucky he'd been born a Warrior, and not a witch. Yes, they taught him to withstand pain, mental torture, even to kill at the age of five, but his people wouldn't dream of murdering helpless babies.

 _Jesus, witches are brutal._

Carmen said, "That's what our people believed. Until you came to us, and Tanya recognized the woman from the vision."

Carmen got to her feet, ambling over to Emmett's antique desk. The group moved closer, gathering around to watch her wave delicate, heavily ringed fingers over a crystal bowl filled with water. Seconds later, to his amazement, a woman with red hair appeared in the bowl.

Emmett sucked in a sharp breath. Cheeks turning a mottled red, fury swirling in his bright gaze, he glowered at the image. "It's her," he announced. "It's the bitch who slaughtered Mike."

"No," Tanya disagreed calmly. "The woman you see is Amelia—Amelia Rose. Who would be in her fifties, if she still lived."

Edward exhaled quietly. "You think they survived. The daughters."

"I do. Both David and Amelia had powerful allies. They might have given their children away for safekeeping. It explains why the woman who killed your friend is the double of a witch supposedly murdered three decades ago."

The door burst open. Jasper Morgan, Edward's closest friend, rushed into the room. Average height, quietly handsome, he acted like a teenager half the time, but he was one of the few people who made Edward laugh. "I found her," he spoke directly to the witches.

"What?" Edward demanded.

Jasper spun on his heel to face him. "Hey, bro. When they arrived, Eleazar gave me this," he handed Edward a piece of paper with a detailed drawing of Amelia Rose on it. "I scanned it through DMV, FBI, basically anything where you'd find photographic identification. It took me a while, but I found her."

Placing the open laptop on the table, he pointed at the screen. "Meet Isabella Stevens, twenty-eight years old, resides in a small town in Georgia. She's single, lives alone. Bought her house from her parents a short while ago, and keeps a pretty low profile. The woman doesn't even have a Facebook page or a Twitter account. Who doesn't have a Facebook page?" he muttered under his breath.

"Do you have anything else? Where she works? Who her friends are?" Emmett demanded, before the man continued rambling about the woman's lack of a social media account.

Jasper shook his head. "Like I said, she tends to keep to herself. However, because I am magnificent, I hacked into the street cameras in the town where she lives. From there, I found out where she works—part time at both the veterinary clinic and local diner—the supermarket where she buys groceries. Even the hair salon where she's got a monthly appointment. I called them," he explained with a shrug of his shoulder. "All paid for in cash, by the way, which I didn't think anyone did anymore."

Jasper placed his shiny laptop next to the image of Amelia Rose. After tapping a couple of keys, a video began to play. "There she is," he said, pointing to footage of a woman walking down a sunny street.

"Got her." Jasper beamed.

Emmett narrowed his sharp eyes. "I don't think it's her."

"What? Of course, it's her," Jasper insisted. "She's the spitting image of the sketch Carmen gave me. It's her."

"No. It's not. Look, I saw everything Mike did, too. He had sex with this woman. He saw every inch of her without a stitch on. He knew her body. _I_ know her body. It's not her."

"He's right," Carmen said. "While the face is practically identical in features, if you zoom in." She leaned over to do just that, pressing her thumb and index finger to the smooth screen, gradually spreading them apart, unaware of Jasper's outraged expression.

Despite everything, Edward's lip twitched in amusement. No one touched Jasper's stuff. Unaware of how close she came to losing a finger, Carmen asked, "Do you see? Her body is a different shape. It's fuller, rounder. And she moves differently. The witch from my vision moved like a Siren. Every step sensual. While this woman is just as graceful, she moves differently. She holds herself differently."

"I agree. The body is all wrong," Emmett added. "The witch has a va-va voom figure." He mimed an hourglass figure with his hands. "Perfect breast's, great ass, but also like she's put some time in the gym. This woman is…fuller."

Edward made a face. He didn't appreciate the tone of Emmett' voice when describing the woman's figure. He happened to like curves on a woman.

Jasper huffed. "Who says this isn't the witch's real identity? Perhaps she turns into a psycho bitch on weekends? Like a hobby, or something like that. She might use padding for her day-to-day life. She's smart, right? She'd know how to change her appearance. Besides, if Isabella Stevens is not the witch, then who is she?"

Edward answered him. "Her sister."

Jasper's lips curved into a sly smile. "The sister, huh? We have leverage. We can use her as bait."

Benjamin sneered. "I vote for tracking Isabella Steven's down and slitting her throat. It's one possible way to bring her whore of a twin to us."

Carmen shook her head adamantly. "No. You'll be making a huge mistake, if you do that."

"Why? She butchered our brother—we butcher her sister. It sounds good to me."

"No," Eleazar objected firmly. "This may be coincidental. There is no proof this girl is the witch, or even related her."

"Yet," Jasper said quietly.

"Yet," he agreed, grudgingly. "Let's say she is. If you harm her sister, a woman whose only fault is sharing DNA and a face, the witch will come down on you—hard. You know she's dangerous. It's where your friend went wrong. All he saw is a pretty face, and a hot body. He let his guard down. He underestimated her. Who's to say she won't join with your enemies, gather her own allies, and declare war, because you harmed a single hair on Isabella Stevens head? Or she doesn't give two damns about her twin sister, and you murder an innocent woman for nothing? That, I promise you, is something we won't allow. We agreed to help find your brother's killer, to stop her before she harms anyone else, not aid you in the murder of an innocent woman."

Edward huffed. "You couldn't stop us," he stated arrogantly.

Tanya challenged, "Try us."

Everyone instantly on edge, eyeing each other up, determining whether a fight was imminent.

 _You'd need a chainsaw to cut the tension mounting in here_ , Edward thought.

Jasper cleared his throat, ending the tense silence. "May I make suggestion?"

Emmett nodded once. "Go ahead."

"I say we send someone to the town where she lives. He, or she, there's no place for sexism here, can get close to Isabella. That way we can ascertain whether or not Isabella Stevens is the witch's alter ego. If she isn't, if she's her twin, we use her to get information on the sister. Maybe even discover her location. Let's see if this woman is useful to us before we go at her with a kitchen knife," he suggested dryly.

"I prefer that plan," Emmett replied, lowering himself into his seat.

"That's if she even speaks to her sister. For all we know, Isabella has no idea her sister is alive. Let's track her down, find out what's what, so we can move forward. Avenge Mike's death."

"No," Benjamin argued. "We know where she is. It must be her. Let's move in now before she has the chance to run."

Slowly, Emmett turned his cold gaze on him. "Last time I checked, I'm still the one who makes the decisions around here. I agree with the witches, with Jasper. There is no need to harm this woman, make her aware she's on our radar, if it isn't necessary."

"What if she doesn't know? What if her sister doesn't show up?"

"She will," Eleazar stated confidently. "You're not the only ones tracking her. Your brother's not the only one she's murdered. There are a lot of people who want this woman's head. She's on the run, where else can she go? Besides, they're family. They'll stick together."

"Fine," Emmett replied. "We'll play it safe. If we get nothing from Isabella Steven's, if she truly has no relationship with her sister, we move on."

Jasper spoke up. "We still need to treat her as a suspect. I still think there's a good chance she's altering her appearance to make it look like she's two different women."

He nodded in agreement. "You're right. Until we're positive this girl is the sister, then we act as if she's the witch. Whoever goes to Georgia will need to be on constant guard around her. In the meantime, I'll get the men in Brooklyn to comb the area again, see if we missed something before."

Benjamin cleared his throat before speaking. "Sir, I'd like to volunteer to go to Georgia. Contact the woman."

"No," he refused in a tone that brooked no argument. "You're too emotional when it comes to this. You'll sit this one out."

His teeth came together with a snap. "Then may I ask who will be going?"

Emmett turned Edward with a smirk. "You are."

Edward resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Of course, he'd get the shitty job. He would have preferred to join the others in Brooklyn. Instead, he got stalker duty.

Like Emmett, he didn't believe this woman and the witch were the same person. Who went from killing a Warrior in Brooklyn one night to shopping for cat supplies in a nothing town the next day?

He bit back a sigh. "Okay. But she's a witch. Won't she be able to sense who I am?"

Carmen said, "I know a way to make you appear human. I left my thing's at home, so I'll need to get the ingredients, but I've done it before. It's not difficult."

He smiled. "Fun times," he drawled. "Well, if you'll excuse me. I've got some packing to do."

Hours later, he arrived in Georgia. Ready to begin in his mission.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Hi guys! Thanks for the interest shown in Cursed. I wasn't going to upload this for a couple of days, but since the names got messed up, I thought I'd give those who want more a little present!**

 **I didn't realise how much I missed the FF world, but I am so happy to be back and sharing this story with you.**

 **Chapter Two**

"Come on, you stupid piece of crap." Muttering to herself, Bella Stevens struggled with a stubborn deadbolt. What possessed her to do this? Why didn't she spend her day off like everybody else? Vegging out in front of her small television, eating half her weight in junk food. Then again, watching television is what got her into this mess.

Her first day off in over a week, Bella woke to the sound of heavy raindrops splattering against her bedroom window. Gray clouds engulfing a once clear blue sky, fat droplets of rain pelted off the slick roofs with enthusiasm. So, instead of taking her cat for a walk—Todd doesn't like rain—or working on her garden, she decided to indulge herself with a little rest and relaxation.

That lasted until lunch. Her mind refused to unwind, no matter how hard she tried. No matter how often she reassured herself Jessica's silence didn't mean anything. They'd gone days without talking to her sister before, she couldn't shake this feeling that, this time, something is incredibly wrong.

In an effort to distract herself from worrying, she retrieved a box set from her collection of DVDs. Two cups of tea later, Bella settled on the couch, fully intending to spend time with her favorite detective. That's when an idea struck her, something she wanted to learn months ago, but forgotten all about. Plus, a sure-fire way to keep her from fretting about her sister's safety.

Eager to begin, she set her mug down on the end table, and dug through her kitchen junk drawer. Shoving aside countless pens, bobby pins, lip balms, and a few letters she assumed she'd need in the future, she eventually came across a lock picking set she purchased online months ago.

She started off with small things—the padlock on the shed, and flimsy locks on the childhood diaries she once entrusted to protect her deepest secrets. Eventually, moving on to the deadbolt on her front door. It took her a while, and countless repeat viewings of the YouTube video, but she caught on eventually. Then she moved on to paper clips. After all, if there came a time she got locked out, or restrained, she doubted she'd have her handy lock picking kit with her, Bella reasoned.

Bella locked herself out of her own home with nothing but two paper clips. Only picking locks under pressure didn't come as easy to her. She locked herself out of her house, in the pouring rain, a great idea at the time, but now the lock refused to click. It refused to turn.

Around her, the furious wind howled, rain thrashing against her exposed legs, the porch roof offering no protection against the fury of the storm. Her hands shook from the cold, which made it all the more difficult. She wore only a Booty Revolution t-shirt and cotton shorts. It didn't help she'd forgone putting on shoes, either. In her defence, Bella believed she'd be outside for a few seconds, a few minutes tops. Ten minutes later, her long hair dripped down her back, and thanks to her sodden clothes plastered to her body like a second skin, everyone knew exactly what her mama gave her.

Bella shivered, her teeth chattering as the rain continued to pound the pavement, and if the weather forecast told the truth for once, it would only get worse. At the first clap of thunder, Bella let out a stream of curses. She didn't mind thunder or lightning, but she did mind freezing her ass off. She could use her _talents_ to open the door, she supposed, but her pride wouldn't permit it. She'd set out to do this. _Dammit, that's what I'm going to do._

Five more minutes, she decided as thunder continued to rumble, then she'd admit defeat.

Five minutes almost up, she heard a deep voice call out over the rain.

"Excuse me, miss, but may I ask what you're doing?"

Bella turned, her cheeks heating. _How to explain this one?_ she wondered.

How her jaw didn't drop when she clapped eyes on a very tall, muscular, rain-soaked man, she'd never know.

He stood there, hands on his hips observing her with a suspicious glint in his eyes.

His gray t-shirt clung to every chiselled inch of him, she noted. Swallowing hard, Bella thought, _Mother, may_ _I?_ as she stood like a fool, ogling him.

He, on the other hand, scowled at her, looking about ready to make a citizen's arrest, he closed the distance between them.

Lovely green eyes, she thought a little dreamily. She'd always been a sucker for a man with green eyes. _Don't forget thick bronze hair, a strong jaw covered in a five o'clock shadow, pale skin, ripped body and killer arms,_ she added silently.

"Are you breaking into this house?" he demanded.

"What? No," she denied fiercely, shocked at his question.

While might be handsome—okay, the man's basically every woman's wet dream-, Bella didn't appreciate his tone. Besides, what did it have to do with him? Her house, her door, and her right to do anything she wanted with it. He didn't live in town. In a town this small, she would remember a body like his. But it didn't mean he'd get away with accusing her of breaking and entering.

Before she could get worked up, it occurred to her what it must look like to him. There must not be a vast amount of reasons why a woman stood outside, in the rain, barefoot, trying to get inside a house. This man, most likely minding his own business, saw her and decided to take action. A good thing. Not enough people possessed the courage, or interest, to act these days.

Despite admiring his willingness to take action, to Bella it looked pretty obvious she'd locked herself out. Not many burglars committed robbery barefoot.

Bella peered up at the gigantic, hot-as-hell man, offering him a dazzling smile. "This is my house. I promise."

His gaze remaining suspicious, his hands fell to his sides, his pose now less stern than before. His earlier pose reminded her way too much of the how her dad stood when giving her a lecture. And Bella didn't want this man to remind her of her dad in any way, especially considering how attractive she found him.

"I'm pretty sure that's what all burglars claim when they're caught in the act," he drawled.

Shivering against the cold, she rolled her eyes impatiently. "I am not a burglar," she insisted. "If I was, do you really think I'd choose to break in through the front door? In the middle of the day?" He started to relax until she added, "Besides, if I wanted to break in, I'd pop out the window in the downstairs bathroom." She finished by lifting her arm, demonstrating the movement with her elbow, clucking her tongue she imitated the sound of a window frame being popped out.

"Is that supposed to reassure me you're not trying to break someone else's house?" he demanded incredulously.

Scrunching her nose, Bella admitted it did sound like she'd put some thought into this. In all honesty, she had. She tended to think about things others didn't. Upon entering a building she'd never entered before, she plotted out her escape route in case of emergency. Like, in case a psycho killer, or mindless zombies, attacked. In her teens, she discovered the window in the downstairs bathroom popped out if she hit it just right. One of the many things her dad 'fixed'. She tucked the information aside future use—like if she ever needed to break into her own home.

While engaged to Jacob, she did break in. The couple headed into town one night for a romantic dinner, pulling up outside her house hours later, Bella noticed she didn't have her keys. Assuring Jacob they didn't need to call a locksmith, like she demonstrated, she popped out the window frame, sliding through with ease.

Jacob, fearing for her safety, vowed to fix it the next day, but he never got around to it.

Bella's shoulders slumped. The thought of how badly things ended between them depressing her. She wanted to go inside, take a long, hot bath, and forget men existed. Even hot men, like the one currently standing in front of her.

"Look, I am not a burglar. I live here. If you don't believe me, knock on any of my neighbours doors, they'll confirm it. I got bored, so I began watching my favorite Sherlock Holmes series, and, well, he made it look really easy."

"You decided to start with your front door?" he asked as if he thought her the biggest moron on the planet.

Bella rolled her eyes. "No. The man on the video said you should never use a lock you depend on. I started out with stupid little things, like the lock on my diary from my teens, but I wanted to test myself in a real-life situation. It didn't go according to plan." An understatement. "I'm stuck out here, talking to you, when all I want this second is to go inside, pour myself a really big glass of wine and watch Nick kick scary fairy-tale creature's ass. But, unless I really do pop the window frame, I'm sleeping out here tonight."

He stood, his clothes wringing wet, measuring her up. Until, eventually, he spoke. "Do you want some help?" he offered quietly.

Bella gaped. "You want to help me? Are you sure you want to help the crazy woman break into some poor old lady's house?"

"Old lady?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "You seem the type who'd feel worse if you assisted me in breaking into a little old lady's house, rather than a young couple with a handful of kids."

He grinned. Oh God, he possessed the sweetest smile she'd ever seen. His whole face lit up and, to her surprise, she caught a cute little dimple at the corner of his mouth. Adorable. She'd always been a sucker for dimples, too. She expected a man with his confidence, and a body that made her mouth water, to own a sinful, wickedly sexy grin. Bella bet, if the time called for it, he did, too. But, right now, he wore a boyish grin that invited her to smile back.

Which she absolutely refused to do.

"You're right. I'd feel like shit. But I'm willing to take a chance. Now, do you want my help or not?"

She pretended to think about it. "Nope." Spinning around, Bella went back to attacking the deadbolt with a paper clip. She wished he'd hurry up and get the message. She neither needed or wanted his help. When he left, she'd use her gifts to turn the lock. She'd spend the rest of the day in a hot bubble bath with her a western romance novel. Then she'd watch Nick kick ass.

She felt him standing there, watching her. Bella huffed. "Don't you have a home to go to? Someone else to annoy?"

She heard his throaty chuckle over, and despite her irritation, she liked the sound. A manly man's laugh, she decided. When a shiver ran through her, Bella brushed it off, assuring herself it was due to the cold weather.

"I don't have anyone else to annoy. I was enjoying a nice, long run. Then I saw you," he added, amusement thick in his voice.

"You're such a charmer." She continued to work the lock.

He leaned against the door frame, his body throwing heat from him like a furnace, warming her. From the corner of her eye, she spotted him. Slick hair combed out of his eyes, he asked, "Why in the world did you purposely lock yourself out of the house? Especially, when it's pouring down?"

"I've already told you. I didn't think I'd be out here for long. Also, who are you to judge me? Who goes for a 'nice, long run' in the rain?"

"I like the rain." He shrugged a powerful shoulder. "Besides, I'm new in town. A very sweet old lady assured me Higgins is a beautiful town. I wanted to take a look around."

"Then look around when it's sunny out," she retorted.

"I prefer it like this. It's nice out here. Until now, anyway."

"You came over here and started bothering me," she pointed out indignantly. "I'm here, minding my own business, when this _lunatic_ , who likes to take long runs in the rain, accuses me of breaking into my own home."

He grinned. "I don't think you're in a position to throw stones when it comes to crazy, lady."

"Ha, ha," she drawled, her body shuddering against the cold. "As you can see, as I have told you repeatedly, I am not a breaking in. You can call the cops if you want, but considering my parents went to high school with the sheriff, and the deputy is my ex-fiancé, I'm guessing it will be pretty pointless."

His brow shot up. "Are you saying they'd lie for you?"

Bella pursed her lips, thinking about his question, before she answered him. "I'm ninety-nine percent sure they would."

"Even the deputy? The one who dumped you?" he added in a mocking tone.

Bella's jaw dropped, the sound escaping her lips one of outrage. Spinning around, she scowled up at the annoying male. "I dumped him, not the other way around. And yes, he would. We're still friends." She shook her head, frustrated. "Why am I still talking to you?" She turned her attention back to the lock, hoping he might get the hint and leave, so she could go inside.

"My offer still stands. Are you ready to admit you need my help?" he asked, goading her.

She growled. Bella Stevens, the most even-tempered woman in the world, actually growled at a man she just met. "No. I've got this."

"Whatever you say," he replied, placating her.

Bella fiddled with the lock. A smile tugging her full lips, she replayed their interaction in her mind. She soon began to see the humor in the situation.

Without thinking, she whirled around once more. Pouting, Bella did something she rarely did. She lied. "I don't got this," she said, making him laugh.

"Stand back, Watson." He eased her aside, his hands hot on her frigid arms despite the fact his clothes offered him less protection from the icy rain than hers did.

At his touch, Bella shivered. Uncomfortable with her reaction, she brushed it off. She scoffed. "I am so not Watson."

He glanced over his shoulder, a smirk playing on his lips. "You are from where I'm standing."

Bella folded her arms across her chest, bouncing on the balls of her feet in an effort to keep warm. "If not for the fear of freezing my ass off, I'd tell you to go to hell. Since I am, I'll just stand here. Quietly seething."

"You're using me for my superior lock picking skills, huh?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"At least you're honest." Twisting his wrist, he unlocked the door. "There you go," he said, a smug smirk curling his lips.

Bella groaned. "Thank god." She shoved past him, entering her nice, warm home.

This time, his jaw dropped. "What? Not even a thank you? No inviting me in for a warm drink until the weather clears up? Where's the small-town hospitality I've heard so much about?"

She snickered. "You're not going to find it in this house. You know how to pick locks. This means you're a little bit of a weirdo, like me, or you're a criminal. My parents taught me never to invite criminals into my home."

Bracing a large hand against the wooden doorframe, he leaned forward. His face so close to hers, she caught a glimpse of tiny flickers of blue in his irises. "What about the friendly neighbour who stopped to help out a damsel in distress? What would your parents say you about him?"

He looked so good. Standing in front of her, rain pouring behind him and a smile gracing his lips. Like something out of a chick flick. "My mama would say, 'Baby, if a man is out running in the thunder and rain, he's either crazy or just plain stupid.'"

His eyes narrowing, he studied her. While he looked serious, his dimple appeared in full force. "Does that mean I won't earn her approval when you introduce me?"

Yes, she thought, definitely a chick flick. Unfortunately, for him, she wasn't in the mood for a cheesy romance. "Nope. Thanks. Bye!" She slammed door shut in his face.

Out of the peephole, she witnessed his grin, the slight shake of his head at her rude dismissal before turning on his heel and jogging off down the street. His every step confident, as if he owned the pavement he ran along.

Bella felt like a stalker, but her gaze remained on his retreating form until he disappeared from view.

She stood in the hallway, smiling. The walls recently painted a soft rose, leading up the stairs, photographs of her family hung in white frames. The coat rack, which she mounted onto the wall herself, overcrowded with jackets and handbags. Though her parents would most likely murder her for it, she considered painting the dark hardwood floors white.

It may not be to her parent's style, but she enjoyed making the house her own.

"Well, that was interesting," a voice drawled from behind her. A voice she'd heard a thousand times in her mind, but not once out loud.

The smile Bella believed she'd wear for hours, vanished. Her jaw dropped, her heart clutched painfully in her chest. She knew that voice. She knew it better than her own.

Slowly, oh so slowly, because she feared she'd lost her mind, Bella eased away from the door. Heart galloping frantically, her palm suddenly clammy, she herself rigid as she turned to face the staircase.

Jessica.

At the top of the stairs, stood a woman she knew better than anyone else in the world, though she couldn't remember a time they were in a room together. She knew her innermost secrets, her darkest desires, her every thought, every feeling, despite getting torn from each other at six months old.

Forbidden, she knew. For their own safety. Carlisle would throw a fit. But, right now, she didn't care.

Everything else forgotten, she gazed into eyes almost identical to her own. She forgot her friends, her family, and the hot guy from her front step.

Bella dreamt of this moment. Yearned for it. But accepted her dream would never come true. The girl inside her mind would always be out of reach to her, but no one, not even Carlisle, could stop her from wishing.

 _She looks like me._ Bella wanted roll her eyes at her owns thoughts. Of course, she looked like her. They are identical twins, after all. Only while Bella looked the epitome of the girl next door, Jessica took her breath away. Flawless pale skin, her hair perfectly styled in a French twist, with a body belonging in a men's magazine.

Bella immediately felt lacking in comparison. Despite being identical, she knew which one of them outshined in the look's department. As silly as it sounded, she didn't want to disappoint her twin. What if she expected something more?

Shoving her dripping hair from her face, she tried to appear somewhat presentable—impossible.

Her twin stood at the top of the stairs, joy in her eyes, most likely waiting for Bella to say something, anything, but she couldn't force the words she'd always wanted to say past her lips. She wished for this, and now, when her dream finally came true, her lips refused to speak the words she'd held in her heart for so many years.

"Hello, little sister," she greeted in a slight Australian accent. "You're shorter than I am."

Not exactly what Bella expected, but somehow perfect, she replied, "And you're skinnier."

Jessica's soft laughter felt like heaven to Bella. She blinked, sending tears running down her cheeks, but she didn't care. They were together.

Bella breathed, "I can't believe it. You're really here."

"I am," she replied unevenly. Her voice trembling with an emotion Bella knew she should be incapable of feeling.

With a tearful cry, Bella launched herself at her twin. Jessica met her half way. They stood, arms closed around one another for a long time. Breathing the other in, celebrating their homecoming.

Eventually, Bella eased back, asking, "So, what do you think?"

Her sister lifted her hands, tenderly running her fingers across Bella's cheek. "You're beautiful."

Relief surged through her. Bella reached out with tentative, trembling fingers, tracing the line of her cheek with her fingertip. Jessica closed her eyes, as if embracing the first physical contact they'd shared.

Jessica, a woman cursed to be pure evil, wept at her sister's touch. Tears sliding down her cheeks without shame or embarrassment until Bella could take it no longer and yanked her back into her arms.

After all these years, after nothing but a voice inside her mind, she finally got to hold her sister.

#

"The Bratha-what?" Bella demanded, dropping her sodden t-shirt to the ground.

Jessica sprawled across the big, soft bed, clearly comfortable in her sister's room. The walls a deep gold, the furniture, including her bed, white. Faux silk curtains draped to the floor. Gold and white pillows scattered over the large bed. No television, but plenty of paperback romance novels, and a dark-gray laptop lay on the dresser.

"The Bràthaireil," she corrected, toeing off her four-inch heels. "They're a very old brotherhood of Warriors."

"Warriors?" Bella pulled on a dry t-shirt and shorts. Picking up a towel she'd selected from the linen cupboard, she vigorously rubbed her wet tresses while her sister talked.

"A breed of supernatural males born with extraordinary strength, speed. And they are blessed with longevity as long as they serve their people."

"Cool." She threw the towel, aiming for the hamper. Missing completely.

"They're pretty well known in our world. Why didn't your adoptive parents teach you about them?"

Bella crashed down next to her twin, shuffling so they lay face to face. Carlisle would blow a gasket if he saw them here, together like this, but she didn't want to think about him now. She thought only of her sister.

"Um, I was raised in a small town in Georgia, by two witches who no longer practiced the craft," she pointed out. "It wouldn't surprise me if they didn't know who these men are. Two powerful witches in Australia raised you. Your knowledge of such things will be greater than mine," she pointed out logically.

Jessica scoffed. "Which is disgusting. Carlisle should have entrusted you to someone who'd teach you about our world, our potential. Not two hicks who gave up on something so fundamental about themselves, especially when it's their duty to raise you."

"Hey, ease off," Bella reprimanded gently. "They are my parents. Don't call them names."

Jessica glowered, something that should terrify Bella, send chills down her spine, but it didn't. Jessica would never harm her. "They are not your parents. Just like the people I got stuck with aren't mine. Our parents died many years ago. Burned by the bastards who, supposedly, loved them." She tucked a lock of soft hair behind her ear. "Doesn't it get to you? Don't you resent it? If it not for one selfish prick, we would have been raised together—as sisters. Shared a room. Played with our dolls. Talked about boys. The future."

Bella snickered. "I don't know what movies you watched growing up, but I watched a lot of them, and many of my friends have sisters. And, like them, we'd detest each other most of the time. All of my friends with siblings claim they despised their brothers and sisters growing up. They hated sharing toys, a bedroom. A bathroom. If we grew up in the same house, like everyone else, we'd drive each other insane."

Jessica shook her head. "Nope. You won't change my mind on this. We're too close. We mean too much to one another to ever hate each other."

"Because we never got the chance. If we shared a room for years, shared everything, you'd be singing an entirely different tune."

"Which brings me back to my original question. Doesn't it make you angry? It makes me angry. Absolutely infuriates me that I got ripped from my family, forbidden to see you, be with you. Do you feel the same?"

Bella grinned. She pointed her thumb at her chest. "Um, cursed to be good, remember? I've never felt that kind of anger. I can't. Part of the side effect," she teased.

"Oh, Carlisle." Jessica shook her head, her wide eyes bright with laughter. "What made him say such a thing to a little girl?"

Bella shrugged. "It's the only way he knew how to explain things to me. He didn't know how to talk to children. Besides, he spoke the truth. Even if it did make me cry my eyes out at the time. My curse is a side effect of the one placed on you."

Jessica rolled her eyes. "Yeah, all the bad got sucked right out of you and shot straight into me. Like I didn't have enough of my own already. Our uncle screwed you up, too." Tenderly, she stroked Bella's damp hair from her face.

"I'm not screwed up," Bella disagreed, her body relaxing under her sister's gentle touch. "Stop focusing on the negative. Look at the positive. Right now, you're here, I'm here. Everything is perfect. Well, until Carlisle finds out." She toyed with the edge of the pillowcase. "He'll visit soon, you know that."

Jessica groaned. "Yes, Carlisle's annual visit. He came every week without fail. Now, it's once a year. For you, anyway. Does he still call every week?"

Bella nodded. "He'd call you, too. If you answered your phone, that is."

"Let's not start," she warned.

Not wanting to upset her sister, Bella directed the topic to happier times. "I remember my parents always turning into nervous wrecks before he arrived. I can't understand why, even to this day, they're intimidated by him."

"Because Carlisle is one powerful son of a bitch. He'd kill them all if he thought they mistreated you. Why do you think he came every week without fail?"

Bella frowned. Carlisle wouldn't do that. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized, yes, he would. When their birth parents came to him for help, he'd risked it all to save them. To save the daughters of his only friends. Who knew the lengths he'd go to if he believed the two girls he'd taken into his care were being abused?

"I wonder where Todd is?" Bella murmured suddenly, glancing around the room.

"You shouldn't allow your cat in the bedroom," Jessica chided.

Bella pointed a finger at her sister. "Just because you're the oldest doesn't mean you get to boss me around." She grinned. "See, I told you we'd drive each other insane."

Jessica stopped stroking her hair. Smacking her over the head with a pillow instead. "Dork."

"Proud of it. Now, back to these Bràthaireil dudes. Who are they? What are they? Why are they hunting you?"

Jessica scowled. "I told you: they are Warriors, supernatural males, born solely to become protectors of humanity. The Bràthaireil are a brotherhood, originating hundreds of years ago in Scotland."

"Are they dangerous?" Bella asked the important question.

"If they find me before I have time to prepare myself, they will kill me," she stated calmly. "This is what they do. They hunt those who are a danger to humans, to their own people. People like me," she said bluntly. "My adoptive parents told me about them. The males are taken from their families at the age of five, forced to train for years to become one of them. At least, that's how they used to do things. Only the strongest join the brotherhood. After completing his training, he is given a dagger of his own, one he must use to fight darkness. It's all very dramatic."

"Warrior, huh? Isn't that a little on the nose?"

"No one ever said they're creative," her sister drawled.

Bella released a long breath. "Why are they after you?" She dreaded the answer, but needed to hear it.

"I killed one of their own," she replied. "He tracked me down to a club in Brooklyn, made me think he wanted me. Afterward…he tried to kill me." She smiled, her eyes shining with a twisted kind of pleasure. "I got to him first. I made him pay it."

Bella's stomach turned at the thought of what Jessica did to the poor man. The things she did for these men, who claim to protect humanity, to "track her down" in the first place.

Years ago, Jessica gave in to the darkness within her soul. Embracing her curse. Since that night, she hid her nefarious actions from Bella. When the telepathic link they shared, a bond allowing them to communicate despite the thousands of miles separating them, suddenly quieted, she knew why her sister wanted privacy. She couldn't penetrate the wall Jessica created between them, no matter how hard she tried. Part of her was grateful for the wall. She didn't want to think of her sister as a murderer.

"Don't," Jessica whispered. "Don't think about such things. Remember what you said? It's you and me. I'm here, you're here. Everything is perfect."

Bella snuggled closer to her sister. Breathed in her sweet scent, listened her steady breathing. She didn't want to admit what this warm, gentle woman is truly capable. She only wanted to view her as her sister. Nothing else. "Everything's perfect," she agreed.

"What I don't understand," Bella said after a long period of comfortable silence, "is, if you were in the house the entire time, why didn't you let me in?"

Jessica laughed. "I arrived only moments before you came in the door. I wanted to surprise you, so I let myself in through the back. I thought about letting you in. Tossing the door open, making a grand entrance," she stated, her eyes glittering. "Then I overheard you flirting with the handsome jogger. Decided to leave you be, let you work your magic."

Bella pushed up on her elbow. "What? I didn't flirt with him."

Jessica scoffed. "Bella, please. You totally flirted with him."

"No. God, no," she denied strongly. "He's irritating and cocky. I just wanted to get away from him."

"Really?" she challenged. "Then tell me this, at your final attempt to pick the lock, why didn't you use your mind? I can read your every thought, little sister. You didn't let yourself in before because you wanted to do it without using magic. But if you wanted him to leave, why didn't you open it with your gifts? Shove it in his face that you picked it without any help from him? Why did you wait around, acting like a damsel in distress when you could've got in the house as easily as that?" She snapped her fingers. "Because, little sister, you like him. You wanted to flirt a little more. You wanted a big, hunky man to rescue you."

"No," she said slowly. "He made me smile, I'll admit to that. But I didn't want him to rescue me. I did not flirt." Dragging a pillow from beneath her, Bella smacked her sister over the head with it.

Jessica laughed at her twin's attack. "You can lie to yourself all you'd like, Bella, but you can't lie to me. I'm in your head. I know everything."

"You know nothing," she shot back. "Besides, I'll most likely never see him again. And we've got more important things to think about than hot guys."

"So you admit he's hot?"

Bella gave her a droll stare. "I'm not blind. Now, can we focus on the important things, please? You know, like, the people who want to kill you."

"Oh, yes, them. I thought, if it's okay with you, I'd stay here for a little while. Lay low until things calm down. I won't be any trouble." Her wide eyes pleaded with her to say yes.

"Carlisle will flip if he finds out," Bella replied, her eyes dancing with excitement.

Jessica grinned. "Then we'll make sure he doesn't find out. Besides, if he does, he'll drag me back to his place. To keep me safe, he'll claim. When really, it will be to keep me away from you. Besides, I hate it there."

Oh yes, Bella thought, Jessica did. Though separated, forbidden to see one another, it never stopped the two sharing their every thought and feeling.

Carlisle's home, practically a castle, it stood in the middle of nowhere. Jessica despised it. Bella knew all about her sister's hatred, because Jessica told her. She felt Jessica's hatred for Carlisle's home herself thanks to the bond they shared. A gift they never informed anyone of. Especially their over-protective guardian.

Through their link, Bella knew how much time Jessica spent there growing up. Knew about the countless times she ran from home. Attempting to flee the country, to find her sister. She wanted them to run away together. Screw the covens, and what they'd do if they discovered them. They'd protect each other. They didn't need Carlisle, or their fake parents.

Each time she ran, Carlisle brought her back. In the midst of her fury, a danger to those around her, he took her to his isolated home. Once she calmed, when she agreed to stay put, not only for herself but for her sister, he allowed her to return to adoptive parents in Australia.

If Carlisle found out who hunted her, if he knew she sought sanctuary in Bella's home, nothing would stop him from coming here and taking her away. While Jessica might be dangerous to the world around her, no one could resist Carlisle's power.

"It's okay if you say no," her sister added, quietly. "I know it's a big ask. I am, after all, being hunted by Warriors. I know it's dangerous."

Bella's heart thumped painfully at the thought of them coming to her town. Fear sending an icy chill racing down her spine. "Is it possible they've already followed you here?"

Her sister shook her head. "No. I know a thing or two about scanning. That's the ability to search the area for other supernatural beings."

"The name kind of gave that away," Bella replied wryly.

Jessica wrinkled her nose. "Shut up," she said without heat. "Anyway, I scanned the area before I came to your home. If they come here, I'll know. I'd never put you in harm's way. If I stay, I'll scan the area every day. I'll leave the moment I felt anything suspicious. I promise."

Bella leaned back, studying her sister. Staring at her stunning face, she knew she could deny her nothing. The danger didn't matter. Besides, how could she reject Jessica when she wanted her here as badly as her sister wanted to stay?

"Okay," she replied. "But you promise me you'll be nice to Todd. If he ever shows up again. Promise me you'll be on your best behaviour."

"I can do that," Jessica assured her.

"Good. In that case, welcome home, roomie."

#

Edward's cell phone blasted Guns N' Roses the moment he entered his temporary home. His room small, basic, but he didn't need much more than a place to crash at night. He didn't require a hot tub or five-hundred television channels while stalking Isabella Stevens, after all.

Isabella Stevens, he thought with a small smile. Not exactly what he expected. In Emmett's office, he pictured her as a Stepford wife. Too nice, too perfect. Every hair in place and a smile plastered permanently on her lips. What he found on her front step in the pouring rain couldn't be further than what he imagined as the witches told him of her curse.

The woman had one sassy mouth on her. He liked that. Her delectable body made a man like him want. It made him need. Edward liked curves on a woman. And Isabella Stevens curves tempted him like no other. Beautiful, he thought, picturing her face. Dark hair falling down her back, cupids bow lips, and big brown eyes. All of this he'd seen on the footage Jasper found, but the camera failed to pick up the flecks of amber in her irises. Or how her pale skin looked as smooth as silk. It didn't tell Edward she smelled as sweet as honey. He grinned. Or she considered herself on par with one of the world's most famous detectives.

Unfortunately, Edward's gut told him they'd were right to suspect Isabella of being the sister of a psychopathic witch, not the witch herself. He knew a killer when he saw one. In his opinion, Isabella Stevens didn't have it in her to kill a spider, never mind butcher a man.

But no matter how much he enjoyed her curves, her sassy mouth and the way she rolled her eyes, it didn't mean he was tempted.

 _I'm not Mike_ , he reminded himself. He didn't fool around with suspected enemies.

"What do you want?" he snarled into the phone, kicking off his sodden clothes.

"Well, hello to you too, sunshine," Jasper replied cheerfully.

"I repeat, what do you want?"

"I'm just checking in. How's life in a small town?"

"Irritating," he replied. "I can't stand it. Everyone's gawking at me because I'm something new to look at. It's unnerving."

"Huh," Jasper grunted. "I think I'd like it. A nice, friendly town where everyone knows each other. Imagine the gossip in such a small town. They're all banging the next-door neighbour or getting down and dirty with the babysitter. Yeah, I'd like it."

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Edward chuckled quietly at his friend's ramblings, the enthusiasm he heard behind it. "You do realize it's most likely nothing like that, right? They just go along with life, watch too much television. Fake a headache once a week."

"Oh, you're so cynical. Emmett should've sent me. I'd appreciate the benefits of small town life. Besides, I've seen Isabella. I could stand following her around for a couple of weeks."

"You'd need to put down your computer first for that to happen."

"Nah, I'd just follow the street cameras. Have you spotted her yet?" he asked.

Falling onto the comfortable bed, Edward sighed. "I spotted her. I made contact. I helped her break into her house."

"What? Why?"

Edward told him all about their interaction. He also informed Jasper he'd jogged around the block all morning, trying to catch a glimpse of the woman inside. By the time she eventually came outside, his legs burned something terrible, and he was chilled to the bone.

Of course, Jasper found it all hilarious. "Oh, you are so dramatic," he guffawed. "Why didn't you just wait in your car until you spotted her? You could have stayed nice and dry."

"It worked, didn't it? I met Isabella. I conversed with her. I can wheedle my way into her life. Into her house and, hopefully, finding her sister."

"I guess," Jasper said. "So, what's she like?"

 _What's she like?_ Funny, he decided. A little offbeat, perhaps. Who purposely locked themselves out of the house in the rain? A woman Jasper would like. A woman who, in another time, he might like.

Edward sucked in a sharp breath, startled by his own thoughts. Shaking his head, he banished it from his mind. He didn't come here to make a new friend. Or to like her. He came to watch her, make contact on the slim chance she knew her sister's whereabouts.

Isabella Stevens, however sweet she appeared, is his enemy. Edward needed to treat her as such. The next time he found himself smiling at her jokes, or charmed by her sass, he'd remind himself of that. When it came down to it, he would do whatever he thought necessary.

To Jasper, Edward replied in a hard voice, "She's a job, nothing more. It doesn't matter what she's like. If I find out she's in contact with her sister, or lets it slip she knows where she is, I will do whatever it takes to get the information we need."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N Hi everyone! Thanks for the continued interest in Cursed. For those of you wanting more, I would like to reassure you the story is already completed and as long as the hits keep coming, I will update. I love this story and really want to share it with you all. Please review and let me know what you think.**

 **Chapter Three**

"Good morning, sunshine," Bella greeted upon entering her sister's bedroom. Painted a soft shade of pink, her mother's idea, with thick curtains, covered in images of seashells, her idea. A single ray of sunlight streamed through a small gap in the material. Her sister, buried beneath the blankets, groaned at the sound of Bella's voice.

Flopping down next to her, Bella tugged soft sheets back, exposing her sister's sleep mussed hair. Bella snickered, relieved to see that even someone as stunning Jessica suffered from serious bed hair. "Wake up," she ordered, poking her sister repeatedly on the tip of her nose.

"Go away," Jessica snarled, flipping onto her stomach.

"Sorry, no can do. It's a beautiful day, the sun is shining, and you need to get your lazy ass up because it's almost noon," Bella said, her voice sing-song.

Jessica flipped over once again. Her hair a tangled mess, eyes puffy, she scowled at her sister. "You're a morning person, aren't you?" she accused, darkly.

"Yeah, sorry. Still happy you're here?"

Jessica's expression softened. "Despite the wakeup call from hell, yes. I can't believe we're here, together. Like normal sisters."

Bella understood how she felt. She woke earlier, afraid the night before was nothing more than a wonderful dream. She raced to her old room, her pounding heart settling when she saw Jessica's sleeping form sprawled out on her old bed.

"I know. But you still need to get up."

"Why?" Jessica whined.

"Because you'll sleep the day away. Also, I'm leaving for work soon."

"Call in sick. Come on, it will be fun. You can show me around Higgins, your delightful little town. We'll spend the day together. Come on, you know you want to," she enticed.

"You're being hunted, remember?"

"I told you: I scanned the area. I did it again, last night. You'll be happy to know, we're the only people in town with supernatural abilities. We're fine."

"And you're overconfident. You are aware of that, right?"

"I am not. I am simply confident in my own abilities. Like I said yesterday, I wouldn't be here if I thought they followed me. So, what do you say? Spend the day with me?"

Bella found the idea almost irresistible. But she didn't call in sick for work unless genuinely ill. Besides, she'd worked the lunchtime rush alone in the past. It sucked. She couldn't put Angela through such a thing.

"I can't," she said apologetically. "I can't call in sick. How do you think I can afford this house? Pay my bills? And, most importantly, fund my book addiction?"

"I hate how you work like a dog. I've got an idea: call Carlisle," she added as if the most obvious solution in the world. "He'll buy this house for you. He'll give you whatever you want."

Bella frowned. "No, I am not using him for his money. Unlike you," she added.

Jessica narrowed her eyes. "I don't use him. I simply take what he offers."

"Yeah, yeah. Fine, don't get up. I am off to work," she announced, jumping to her feet.

Jessica frowned. "I know this is a small town, but they let you go to work in that?"

Bella looked down at her green tie-dyed t-shirt and cut-off jeans. "It's a small-town diner. There isn't exactly a dress code. I'm leaving. There is food in the fridge. I splurged for the full package, so you should be able to find something on the television to entertain you. Downstairs, there's books, countless DVDs, including every season of _Supernatural_. Just stay in the house," she added seriously. "Everyone in town thinks I'm my parent's biological daughter, so you can just imagine how they'd react if you show up at the diner while I'm serving coffee. Stay in the house," she repeated sternly.

Jessica rolled her eyes dramatically. "Yes, Mother. I don't plan on leaving this bed at all today. Don't worry, I'll be fine. I'll hang out with Todd. If he ever comes back."

"He will." She pointed a finger at her sister. "You be nice to him when he does. Love you," she called over her shoulder as she strolled out the door.

"Love you, too."

#

Bella closed the front door quietly behind her, positive Jessica had already fallen back to sleep. With the cat fed, the dishes from last night's dinner washed, and the plants watered, she set off for work.

On Mondays, Bella waitressed at the Higgins busiest diner. For eight hours, she served food, filled drinks, and scrubbed tables. Not exactly the most glamorous way to spend her day, but she liked the job, almost as much the people she worked with.

Tomorrow, she'd go to her receptionist gig at the veterinary surgery in town. She'd take calls, make appointments, playing with puppies and kittens until five.

A hard life, she thought, pushing her bright-yellow bicycle down the garden path, but someone had to do it. Bella liked her home. She liked her lifestyle, which meant she needed to work for it.

Popping in her ear buds, Bella selected a playlist filled with her favorite country tunes, pressing play and slipping the hot-pink iPod in her pocket. Swinging her leg over the bicycle, she pushed off, beginning a leisurely ride to work. Usually she took her car, but with the sun shining, a little exercise couldn't hurt her.

 _I love this town_ , Bella thought as she turned the corner, exiting her street, heading into the heart of the town. She loved the huge trees lining the streets, the sweet scent of flowers in the air. Yesterday's storm washed the streets clean, and left the sky a cloudless blue.

The breeze blew her hair, tickling her neck. The sun warmed her face as well as the exposed skin on her arms and legs, which she'd slathered with sun block before leaving the house. A content smile on her lips, she quietly sang along with the song blasting in her ears.

A stereotypical small town, she knew, peddling, passing small, but well-maintained, white houses. Most of which proudly displayed the American flag. Everyone knew everyone and things rarely changed. If it did, the whole town knew within minutes. She loved it. She loved growing up surrounded by these people. Hardworking men and women who cared about the community they lived in.

She sped by the children's playground, the slides and monkey bars empty during this time of day. When school let out it would be swarming with excited, noisy children. As a kid, she'd always raced for the swing set. Nothing beat flying through the air.

Growing up, Bella waited for the day to arrive when she'd feel constricted, desperate to get far away from Higgins. Her friends, her boyfriend, all dreamt of the day they'd finally leave. How stifling they found it here. But for Bella, Higgins was home Why would she ever want to leave?

Turning the corner, Bella bolted down the street, forcing her legs to move faster. Her muscles burned, but Bella loved _speed_. The trees nothing but a green blur as she shot past them.

Bella enjoyed knowing where most people in town lived, or what went on in their lives at any given moment. She knew who expected a bundle in nine months, who'd be sending their kids off to college. She knew Mrs. Montgomery's car sat outside Brian Weir's house until after midnight last week. Both married, but the rumor currently spreading around town like wild-fire, is their spouses aren't so innocent either.

Some preferred the pulse of the city, but not her. She loved her charming little town, the community she was a part of. Walking down the street, she might possibly be stopped by almost every person she knew. They asked her about her parents, who now lived in Virginia. Questioned her about her job, her cat, and inevitably, her love life. Bella rolled her eyes. She got asked about that one a lot.

She didn't mind, though. Not even when things went up in flames with Jacob. They asked because they cared. She hoped one day, when her hair turned gray, she'd ask those questions herself.

She couldn't wait.

Bella wanted to find a man she loved, who accepted her. Get married, settle down with a bunch kids. She'd be exhausted, probably frustrated most of the time. Her days spent doing laundry, helping her children with their homework. Raising her family. She wanted to watch them grow in the place she loved.

A cliché, perhaps. Most people wanted a successful career, or to travel the world. Bella wanted a family of her own.

Peddling by the library, she spotted her friend, Lauren. Her friend returned her wave, paused on the sidewalk, baby number three happily gnawing on a teething ring in the stroller, waiting for Bella to reach her.

"Hey." Lauren smiled widely as Bella came to a stop. "Riding to work again? I don't know how you do it. I walk upstairs, and I'm out of breath."

Breathing heavily, she replied, "Yes, but I don't chase after three children all day, sucking up all my energy." She gave the energy sucker in question a tiny wave. "How is Seth doing? Still missing home?"

Lauren rolled dark brown eyes. "He only begs me to move every third or fourth day now. Give me another ten years, he'll think he's the one who insisted on staying."

Lauren married a man from a few towns over, insisting he move here.

Bella sympathized with Lauren's adoring husband. From what she gathered from their conversations, despite the years he'd lived here, Seth still didn't feel quite at home. But he loved his wife. He wanted to make her happy, and willingly made the sacrifice for her. Even though she'd only spoken with Seth a handful of times over the years, she liked him for that alone.

"How are your parents doing? Still deliriously happy?"

Bella smiled. Most people would kill for a marriage like her parent's. High school sweethearts and still going strong, they were still head over heels in love. "Yes. I get jealous just listening to them over the phone."

"You're lucky. My parents only talk through their attorneys."

Bella grimaced. Lauren's parents recently ended their thirty-year marriage.

"I'm sorry."

Lauren shrugged, but Bella sensed their divorce upset her greatly. "If you ever want to talk, I'm here," she offered.

"I will."

"Well, I better keep moving, or I'll never make it to work on time. Tell Seth I said hi, okay?"

"I will," Lauren promised again, strolling across the street.

As she pushed off, continuing her journey, Bella thought about Seth. What he gave up for the woman he loved. Bella wished to find a man willing to change his lifestyle for her. Bella banished the notion before she dwelled on the fact, at one time, she believed she found him. Or about how wrong she'd been.

Instead, she focused on enjoying the beautiful day in the town she loved. Her sister slept in bed, in her home, in this town. She knew this small, close-knit community is the last place

Jessica wished to spend a single day, but Bella couldn't picture herself anywhere else.

Soon, she turned onto the busy street in town. In a row of brick buildings, all with bright overhead signs and canopies, sat Gold's Diner. The exterior painted a mint green, the trim a brilliant white. It stood out a mile on the corner of Main Street.

Riding past the diner, she glanced inside one of the two gigantic windows, noting the busy floor. She didn't find the packed diner surprising. Holding the title of best diner in town meant everyone came to the same place to eat.

Rolling around back, she chained up her bike, entering the diner through the rear door. The heat hit her like a brick wall, stealing her breath, sweat already beading on her forehead. Bella brushed it off, pausing by the office to say hello to Irina. Irina Gold, somewhere in her late sixties, took over the diner from her father almost twenty-five years ago. Her son, Ethan, tried to convince her to slow down, even retire. Bella knew hell would freeze over first. Irina lived for Gold's Diner.

Irina sat at the computer, scowling. Never a good sign, so Bella didn't stick around.

The interior of the diner looked just as bright, and as lovely, in Bella's opinion, as the exterior.

The diner floor long and narrow, on busy days like this, the staff found it difficult to seat the hungry patrons. Every booth packed, and the stools hidden beneath the counter, claimed by regulars who enjoyed their daily coffee while catching up on the local gossip.

The large windows let in the natural sunlight. Exposed brick covered one wall, standing in front of it, a jukebox Irina refused to get rid of. Just like the black-and-white-checkered tiles laid down in the fifties. Both considered too delightful to change or throw away.

The part of the diner Bella liked the most, is the photographs hanging on the brick wall. They showcased the diner's past, as well as a framed copy of the deed to the building.

Apron wrapped around her waist, Bella glanced at the clock hanging next to the specials board on the wall behind her. Only eight hours to go.

As she poured a regular his decaf, someone sat outside her home, waiting for the moment all went quiet on the picturesque street, to enter her home, hunting for signs of the woman who lay asleep upstairs.

#

Edward sat in his rental. He hated the car but blending proved necessary to move around town without raising too much suspicion. He missed his black 1965 Mustang Fastback back home, but knew better than to bring it along, no matter how much he wanted to.

Jasper informed him of the two jobs Isabella worked in town, but based on the footage pulled from the security cameras, her schedule changed frequently. With a course of action in mind, all he could do now is sit, and wait.

He despised waiting.

A nice street to live in, quiet. Most of the people living here were young families or lived in the same home for decades. Small, well-cared for houses lined the street. While not lavish, the street presented itself well, if not original. Each house strongly resembled the one standing next to it. All two stories with cross-gabled roofs and immaculate lawns. Some displayed small porches while others didn't. Isabella's did. Every house sported a slightly different shade of white, he noted.

He'd blow his brains out if he lived in this town. The type of town. he supposed, where someone measured the grass and coordinated Christmas decorations.

Eyeing the sunny street with disdain, he took a sip of coffee, sent up silent thanks when, finally, Isabella exited her house. Pushing alongside her a bright-yellow bicycle. While Edward wondered if astronauts could see her bicycle from space, she happily made her way down the small path before hopping on and setting off down the street.

How could anyone stand living in a town like this? Too perfect, the people too nice. He didn't trust it. Over the years, Edward learned to see through perky smiles. He knew what lurked underneath the false, bright smiles handed out so readily.

Scrunching his nose in disgust, Edward's gaze scoured the street, looking for any sign of life in the modest houses. Other than the old lady across the road, and Isabella's next-door neighbour, the residents were long gone, most likely having left for work. Or whatever they did during the day in this godforsaken town.

He'd been in Higgins for a couple of days now and feared for his sanity. He'd never been so bored in his life. Edward enjoyed living in the city. Being one face amongst many. His job, his life, depended on blending in. Disappearing into the background.

In a town like Higgins, blending in seemed close to impossible. He stuck out like a sore thumb. In town, he sensed the curious gazes following him, he heard the hushed voices discussing him, the new man in town. Who was he? Where did he come from? Did he have a family? Children? Is he gay? If that were the case, wouldn't Mrs. Doris's youngest grandson be perfect for him?

Some appreciated small-town charm. Enjoyed it, even. Edward would never be one of those people. He wished to resolve things quickly and head home. Where no one gave a shit about him, his job, or most importantly, his sex life.

Slipping out of the car, Edward quickly made his way across the street. Glancing around, ensuring no one watched from their window, he strolled to the back gate only to let out a curse.

He heard Isabella's next-door neighbour in the backyard. Making it a no go for his plan.

Hanging around the front of the house, he could explain. If discovered picking the lock on the back door, he'd get acquainted with Isabella's ex within the hour.

Edward returned to the front of the house. Glancing up and down the street, gaze searching for any twitching curtains, he got to work on the lock. Like before, it took him seconds.

It clicked, signalling freedom to enter Isabella's home. Pushing open the door, he took a single step inside, squawking a cry of alarm, to his ultimate humiliation, when something hurled him back with the force of a wrecking ball. Flung from his feet, body airborne, before thudding down onto the grass in a heap. The air stolen from his lungs. Head connecting with the ground beneath him with a snap.

Edward lay there, breathless, in shock. "What the fuck?" he croaked.

Grunting, slowly he pushed off the wet—of course, it's wet—grass and stumbled over to the door. His entire body hurting, he suspected a human would have snapped their neck with the force of his landing. Wet grass or no.

 _It's shut_ , Edward thought with a frown. How the hell is it possible for a house throw him out and close the door behind him?

Cautiously, because he didn't feel like getting tossed around again, Edward lifted his hand, holding it close to the door. He felt it now. The pulse of magic thrumming beneath his fingertips. Ready, waiting for his attempt to enter once more.

A ward, a strong one at that, protected the small, two-story home. Whoever created it wanted to keep people like him out.

Edward huffed out a breath. "Shit. Perfect," he muttered, yanking out his phone, scrolling for the number he wanted. Pressing the call button, Edward tapped his nail against the phone, impatient for his friend to answer.

"What up, bro?" Jasper greeted.

"Hey. Are the witches still at our place?"

"Do you mean are three witches still camped out in our spare rooms like an unwelcome aunt at Christmas?" he drawled. "Yeah. Do you want me to grab one?"

"Please. Preferably Carmen or Eleazar."

Jasper snickered. "Dude, you're such a pussy. You dumped her ass. She'll to get over it eventually."

Despite his aching body, his annoyance at becoming a house's bitch, Edward grinned. "When she does, I will more than happily talk to her, but for now, can you just get one of the others?"

"Two secs," Jasper replied.

Moments later, Carmen's voice came on the line. "Edward?"

At the sound of her voice, he felt his temper rush forward. "You told me your goddamn potion would conceal my abilities."

Carmen sucked in a sharp breath. "The sister recognized your gifts?"

"No. Her house did."

Silence answered him.

"Hello? Carmen?"

"I'm sorry," she replied. "Did you just say a house knows you are a Warrior?"

Edward heard Jasper's rumbling laughter and spat out a curse. "Yes," he snapped. "Isabella is out of the house today. I intended to go in, snoop around a little. I didn't get a foot in before it sent me flying on my ass."

"Oh. The house is warded," she explained to someone, most likely Jasper.

"Yes, it is," Edward said. "How is that possible? I drank the nasty-ass green potion you shoved in front of me before I left. Why hasn't it worked?"

"Edward, the spell protects you from people, from Bella, sensing your abilities. Not a warded house," she added slowly, as if she believed him an idiot.

Clenching his fist so tightly his knuckles turned white, Edward raised his hand to the phone, desperately wanting to reach in and ring her neck. "Well, may I suggest the next time you tell a man that as far as the world is concerned, he's human, give him a heads up it doesn't include wards? You know, just to save him a little pain and humiliation."

Edward caught the hitch in her breath. "I will," she promised. Her breathing uneven, her words thick with amusement. Did she find his situation funny?

He didn't appreciate their laughter at his expense. He believed thing's couldn't get much worse. Stuck on stalker duty, tossed around by a house, and trapped in freaking Mayberry. He didn't need his own people laughing at him, too.

Stabbing the screen with his finger, he ended the call. How could he possibly get inside? With the house warded, breaking in wasn't an option. The results would be the same, only he'd get to explain popping out Isabella Steven's window to the cops.

"Can I help you?"

Instantly tensing, Edward glanced over his shoulder. The old woman from across the street came shuffling slowly down the driveway.

"Well, isn't this just perfect?" he said through his teeth, forcing a bright smile on his face.

She wore a lime-green velour suit, he noted with distaste, despite the midday heat. Her short perm sported a blue rinse. He'd never understand why women chose to do such things to their hair. Thin lips painted a vibrant red, and to his horror, her thick, black eyebrows looked as if drawn on with permanent marker.

Slipping his cell phone into his back pocket, he greeted her warmly. "Hello. My name is Edward Campbell. I'm new in town."

"I know who you are," she replied, coming to a stop in front of him. "I'm Mrs. Young. I live across the street. What are you doing outside Bella's house? She works at the diner today."

Edward knew this, but decided against sharing that with her. He might appear less like a stalker if he kept it to himself. "Really? Well, like I said, I'm new in town. Out exploring when I saw that Bella's door open. I met her yesterday."

"I know," she said. Her dark gaze zeroing in on him. Like a bug under a microscope, about to be dissected. "I saw you helping her break into her house during the storm yesterday. A strange skill, wouldn't you say?" she demanded suspiciously.

She didn't trust him as far as she could throw him, Edward surmised.

Great. The woman most likely thought him a thief. Or a pervert.

Edward shot her a smile that frequently got him out of trouble. With women, anyway. They found it impossible to resist his dimples, his charming smile.

The old woman continued to stare at him, completely unaffected by the practiced move.

Edward bit back a curse. In the city, he'd never be forced to stand before this unfriendly woman, trying to come up with a plausible explanation. In the city, a neighbour would either make a mental note before going about their day or call the cops. Edward decided he'd rather suffer a run in with the local police force than stand here talking to this bothersome woman.

"Yes," he replied, "but working in law enforcement has taught me a lot over the years."

She raised her pencilled-on brow. "You're a police officer? Well, our Bella certainly does attract a type, doesn't she? I only came over to make sure you were okay. I could have sworn I saw you fall down." Her eyes stared beyond him, to the spot on the grass where he landed earlier. "It takes me a while to get around, but I thought I should come out here anyway."

Shaking his head, innocent expression firmly in place, he replied, "No, ma'am. Like I said before, I met Bella yesterday." He made a mental note to call her Bella from now on. Make it appear as if he knew. "I'd never forgive myself if I walked by and the worst happened. She's a nice lady. I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to her."

"No," she agreed quietly, her gaze roaming over his larger form. Sizing him up. "Neither would I. Or any of the people who live on this street, or in this town. Or Jacob, the deputy, and Bella's ex-fiancé," she added pointedly.

Jesus, he thought in disbelief. Could this day get any more peculiar? After everything, now little this old lady, with her drawn-on eyebrows and red lipstick, stood, gripping on to her frame, subtly threatening him with Bella's ex.

No, he decided as continued to stare him down, there's nothing subtle about it.

It astounded him that this decrepit lady, with her strange hair, felt the need to warn him off. If only she knew who she protected. A woman with magical powers of her own. The sister of a psychopath, who spent her spare time butchering people just for shits and giggles.

Edward, at a loss of how else to react, nodded once. "Yes, ma'am."

Her scowl vanished, replaced with a sweet smile. "Good. Now, if you're okay, I'll be on my way. You should be on yours."

Nodding again, he watched as she turned, slowly making her way across the deserted road.

 _Would killing her be such a bad thing?_ He wondered somewhat seriously.

Growling in frustration, because he couldn't kill the old bat, Edward stalked down the street and climbed into his car. Great. Between the wards and Mrs. Young, his chances of getting in the house were next to nothing. Not without Bella inviting him inside.

An idea began to form in his mind as Edward turned the key in the ignition, the engine roaring to life. He needed to visit a pet store.

#

An hour later, Jessica awoke. Apart from Bella's interruption earlier, she'd slept long and deep. Once her head hit the pillow, light's out. It surprised her Bella managed to rouse her so easily. After her sister rushed out, she dropped her head onto the pillow, returning to her dream filled slumber.

Stretching her arms above her head, she released a noisy yawn. Lifting her lashes, she glanced around the room, a small smile curving her full lips. This room had been her twin's. Not her spacious apartment in Sydney, or luxurious hotel room in Brooklyn, but the spare bedroom of a tiny house in Georgia. She'd never felt so happy, or at home.

Flinging the covers back, she practically danced to the bathroom. Hopping in the shower, she found it impossible to wipe the smile off her face. After all these years, she'd finally done it. Ignored Carlisle's commands and tracked down her little sister. She couldn't believe it, the pair of them together at last.

After a long, hot shower, Jessica wrapped herself in one of Bella's robes. The thin material soft and cool on her warm skin, she went in search of breakfast.

Though she'd never admit it to Bella, she'd change everything about the house in a heartbeat. She preferred cooler colors, subtle artwork, expensive furniture, and technology. Warm, vibrant colors covered the walls of Bella's home, the shelves lining the walls crammed with books. A cheap painting of cat hung proudly on the wall, Jessica discovered, her lips twitching. The furniture clearly chosen for comfort over style, and her small television must be at least ten years old.

None of it appealed to her, but it suited her sister's personality. Warm, colorful and original. When Jessica convinced her to move to Sydney, or should Bella want, Paris or London, she'd let her decorate their home however she wished. Hell, a hundred paintings of silly looking kittens could hang on the walls. She'd give her sister whatever her heart desired. Once she convinced her twin to leave Higgins, the world would be theirs for the taking.

Pursing her lips, Jessica feared it wouldn't be easy. For some odd reason, Bella adored this little town. But they were together now. Jessica refused to return to the days of communicating through telepathy. A gift, a bond, no one, not even Carlisle, knew they shared.

Besides, she'd protect Bella. Her little sister wasn't used to danger, hopefully she never would. But with all the enemies she'd made over the years, sooner or later they'd be attacked. The Bràthaireil weren't the only ones after her. Or the only dangers in the world. Bella didn't share her sister's ruthless streak. She needed protection.

Jesus, even her wards didn't pack much of a punch, she thought with a huff of disgust. Yesterday, it took a few seconds to push past the invisible shield attempting to keep her out. Of course, one of the reasons she gained entry so quickly because it recognized her, her magic, blood kin to its creator. But it didn't mean there weren't other ways for it to be breached.

As soon as Bella returned from work, she'd insist on using her own wards to protect their home.

Strolling over to the mantle above the fireplace, Jessica spotted the wooden-spoon trophy and, cocking her head to one side she wondered why her sister displayed such a thing. Then she saw it. One tiny photograph held the power to enrage her. Blood boiling in her veins at the sight, she clenched her hands into tight fists, sharp nails digging into her skin. Cheeks hot, she glowered at the offensive sight. The desire to pick it up, hurl it across the room, shattering the photograph, almost irresistible. Only one thing stopped her from letting it fly through the air. Bella. If she broke it, she would upset her sister.

Still, Jessica plucked it off the mantle, her fingers holding the wooden frame in a punishing grip. She hated the photograph, what it represented.

In the old photograph, a young Bella stood dead centre. The sun shined on her hair, her beaming smile able to melt the coldest of hearts. Jessica detested the arms wrapped around her sister—Renee and Charlie Stevens. Bella's adoptive parents. Jessica hated them more than anyone, or anything else. If not for Bella, they'd be long dead by now. To this very day, she'd relish taking their lives. They thought Bella belonged with them. Bella didn't belong with them, she belonged with Jessica. Her real family.

"Look at them," Jessica hissed. How dare they hold _her_ sister as if they were her parents? Her family? Their real parents burned to death in the middle of the night. Killed by their own blood. Murdered for giving up everything, for protecting their children. Yet these people stood there with cheerful smiles. Bella's pretend mother and father.

After they got settled somewhere else, she'd return. Alone. Pay them a visit, with Bella thousands of miles away, unable to interfere. Warn them off, make sure they never saw her sister again.

Jessica's breath came quick and uneven; her fingers shook. She hated them! She detested that they got to spend every day with Bella, while she'd been banished thousands of miles away.

Growling in the back of her throat, Jessica's need to hurt something, someone, turned fierce. She wanted to break it into tiny pieces, like she wanted to break their faces. Crush it, like she wanted to crush them.

On any other day, she thought wistfully. She'd go out, find a random person off the street and make them scream. Take her anger, her unbearable rage, out on them and only once she felt a little better, or they died, she'd stop.

The fantasy alone soothed her, made her feel lighter. She'd made a Bella a promise, for as long as she stayed in Higgins, no harm would come to anyone in her sister's beloved town. With her promise in mind, Jessica forced herself to calm down. Blowing out a slow, calming breath, her fingers eased up on the wooden frame.

After that night, so long ago, when Bella looked on as Jessica succumbed to the darkness within her soul, Jessica set about building strong shield's inside her mind. Bella only entered her mind if she allowed it. Unless, like now, she became agitated or lost focus.

Closing her eyes, she blew out another steady breath, concentrating on pulling herself together, before her walls fell and Bella caught a glimpse of the evil that dwelled within her. Bella couldn't handle seeing such things. Not after last time.

Unable to take her anger out on the people she wanted to most, she decided she needed to find another way to rid herself of her bad mood. Carefully placing the picture frame back on the mantle, she spun, turning away from the photograph before she forgot about her good intentions and smashed it to pieces.

Mood foul, body restless, Jessica decided to head outside for a little fresh air and sun shine. Sit in Bella's small backyard, check out her tiny flower garden, and enjoy the day. No one would see her.

Slipping out the door, she tipped her head back, allowing the sun to warm her face. Sighing quietly, she heard the sounds of birds chirping in the trees at the back of the property. She didn't plan on staying outside for long. Like Bella, her skin burned easily. A few minutes outside, then she'd head indoors and check out Bella's DVD's. She noted earlier her sister's collection held a few exercise titles. Most of them still wrapped in cellophane.

Jessica took a step back, intending to head inside, when a man's voice came from beyond the fence, calling out her sister's name. She stilled.

 _Shit,_ Jessica wanted to hiss. Turning, she saw an attractive man standing on the opposite side of the fence.

James, she remembered Bella telling her the names of her neighbours once before. He lived next door with his wife, Vicky. Bella claimed James stayed home at lot since losing his teaching position at the elementary school six months ago.

Handsome, in his mid-fifties, tall, trim body, with strong arms. His gray hair shined in the sunlight, contrasting nicely with dark brown eyes. He smiled warmly, but she caught the unmistakable gleam in his gaze.

Funny, she thought, Bella hadn't mentioned the next-door neighbour having the hots for her. The man next door found Bella attractive, despite their age difference, and the ring on his finger. He also had a drinking problem. One of the reasons why he'd been laid off, perhaps?

"Hi," Jessica replied sweetly, taking on the role of Bella.

James's smiled widened. "You look amazing," he told her, his eyes skimming her subtle curves. "You been hitting the gym since I saw you last?"

Jessica nodded. "A little. How's Vicky?" she asked. It felt like something Bella would ask.

His smile dimmed. "She left for work a little while ago."

 _Good,_ she thought and came up with a wonderful way of occupying her time while her sister worked the day away. Something to take up a few hours, and keep her out of trouble. Help her shake the restless feeling she'd developed since seeing that wretched photograph.

"Oh," he said suddenly. "The dish we borrowed is in our kitchen. Vicky planned to drop it by later, but since you're here..." He disappeared. Jessica frowned. Placing her hands on her hips, it struck her. Despite finding her attractive he didn't intend to make a move.

That wouldn't do, at all.

She thought about her situation for a few seconds, then glided toward the wooden fence panel squeezing through a gap just large enough for her to fit through.

Identical to Bella's, only instead of a flower garden, a hammock tied to a tree, a cooler filled with ice and a couple of beers. Obviously, he planned to lie out in the sun getting hammered while his wife went to work.

Not that it mattered to Jessica. He might be a drunk, and a lousy husband, but she didn't care. In fact, it made it all the more fun.

Decision made, Jessica closed her eyes, concentrating. It took a mere thought for the magic to take effect, for the glamour to cover her like a second skin. She felt the tingling race across her flesh and smiled at the familiar rush of power.

Jessica didn't always use the glamour; most men came to her willingly. But it made things a little easier. Despite his attraction, James might reject her. Her saw her as Bella, his neighbour, a family friend. Or might fear her too young for him.

Jessica didn't feel like making the effort to convince him of anything. Or a slow seduction. She wanted fun. She wanted it now. The glamour didn't force attraction, or action, if her victim truly resisted, but it helped move things along.

Walking up to the French doors, she entered the house, cool air soothing her skin after the heat of midday sun. Even though she'd been outside for a few minutes, her skin still might suffer for it. It drove her insane growing up. Everyone else played outside, participated in outdoor sports, while she wore hats, long-sleeved shirts, and what felt like three inches of sun block.

Jessica found him easily. Bent over, digging through the countless pots and pans stored under the sink. He stood and jolted. Clutching a hand to his chest, he let out a breathless chuckle. "You scared me." Holding up a glass lasagne dish, he stated, "Found it."

"Good," she replied, sounding less like her sister and more like herself. Her voice becoming sultry, a temptation no man wanted to resist. "I'll be sure to take it with me. Later."

His brow furrowing in confusion, he opened his mouth to speak, when Jessica shrugged out of the robe, the soft material falling to the ground.

Sucking in a sharp breath, his eyes roamed over her pale flesh, devouring her. She smirked when he shifted, his body responding to the sight of her.

Licking his lips, he opened his mouth once more, but nothing came out. He tried again, only to stutter, probably struggling to understand her actions. "Bella, what are you doing?" he demanded, his voice husky. She watched his struggle to do the right thing. He swallowed hard, but didn't look away.

Cute, she thought. Shocked his sweet next-door neighbour, a woman he'd known for years, suddenly exposing herself to him in the middle of his kitchen.

She didn't want cute, or shocked. Temptation, surrender, passion. She needed it from him desperately. And he gave it to her. Chewing his lip, his gaze glued to her pale breasts, he tried to fight his own desires. The sight of him, knowing he'd succumb, made her feel sexy. Powerful.

Walking up to him, her movements that of a temptress. Slow, sensual. Seductive. Jessica wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing every line of her body against his. His heart pounding against her breasts, his pulse racing in his neck. His erection against her stomach.

"Bella, you need to stop. This is wrong."

"No, it's not."

The spark she created between them, the need, he'd find impossible to resist. Aware of his confusion, his reluctance to take what she offered, she decided his efforts to remain noble a turn on. _Why be noble?_ She wanted to ask. Why resist what you want? His marriage didn't matter. His vows, and promises, didn't matter. A beautiful woman stood in his arms, offering herself to him. A woman he lusted for. Willing to fulfil every fantasy he didn't dare share with his wife.

What man resisted the touch of a woman—the electric charge passing between them, as his heart skipped? Her lips brushing his skin, as soft as a whisper?

 _This should be fun_ , she thought, trailing her fingers across his jaw, tracing his lips. "You're bored with your wife," she breathed softly, seductively. Her lips an inch from his. "You're tired of having sex on Saturday night, or your birthday. The same boring position every time, with the same body and same half-assed responses. You want something a little…different." Closing the space between them, she covered his lips with hers. Tracing her tongue along his lower lip. Her abdomen clenching when he moaned for more, despite him best intentions.

"I'm married," he protested weakly against her mouth. Not an objection, she knew, just a weak, breathless gasp she easily ignored. Instead, she listened to his body, the thud of his heart, his shallow breath, and lust-filled gaze. His strong hands clutching her bare hips.

Jessica reached up, tangling her fingers in his hair, massaging his scalp. Loosening him up until all thoughts of denying her vanished.

"I don't care," she replied, tugging his hair. He groaned, eyes closed, his jaw slack. "I don't want you to love me, James. I don't want romantic dinners or intimate conversations. I'm not going to call you in the middle of the night, begging you to leave your wife. Your wife will never know. All I want is for you to take me. Right here. Right now. I want you to make me feel good. I want to make you feel good. Is that so bad? What do you say, James?"

Jessica gasped, her feet suddenly lifted from the ground. Wrapping her legs around his waist, he backed her into the nearest wall, crushing her between him and the cold surface. His tongue licking her lips, her neck. His hands groping her bare flesh. His touch frenzied, but she didn't mind. She encouraged him. It amped up her own need, knowing how much he wanted her.

Reaching between them, she released him from the confines of his slacks, holding him hot and heavy in her palm. Stroking him, pumping his shaft in her hand until he thrust against her, desperate for more.

Just as quickly, she backed off, ignoring his protest. Then, sure, skilled fingers returned to him, guiding him to her slick entrance, taking him deep into her body.

Grunting, James gripped her hips, pounding into her with wild abandon. Thrusting into her relentlessly as she bucked against him, both racing to the finish line.

Jessica came first. She'd allow nothing less. All the while grinding against him, harder and harder, urging him with her body, her mouth, to follow her over the edge.

Finally, he cried out as she came a second time.

They stood, slumped against the wall. Sated, for the moment. Resting her cheek on his shoulder, Jessica felt a little better.

But she wasn't finished yet. Aware her new lover required a little recovery time, and a little incentive, she whispered against his shirt, "You're fantastic, James."

He lifted his head, eyes soft, glowing with male satisfaction. "My wife doesn't think so. She's made it clear our sex life is something she endures."

She'd seduced enough married men to know, usually around this time, the male started to grasp what he'd done. What he might lose should his wife ever find out. James most likely felt the stirrings of guilt for screwing another woman in the kitchen where his wife cooked, cleaned, and slaved over him.

Jessica felt no remorse. Or shame. She didn't care if he lacked either emotion, not as long as he served a purpose. And he did. Bella worked a lot, so did his wife apparently. Why shouldn't they have a little fun together?

James tensed, his guilt most likely bubbling to the surface. Reality now setting in. He'd taken another woman in his wife's house. Unwilling to lose her new toy, or allow his regret to ruin her fun, she tightened her arms around his shoulders, her hips once again finding a sensual rhythm. He moaned, instantly surrendering to his baser needs, his mouth dipping to take her full breast into his mouth, hands squeezing her ass.

"What a shame," she crooned, her fingers sliding into his hair. She yanked at the soft strands, forcing him to meet her gaze. "Your wife must be crazy. I think you're amazing. I haven't felt this good in a long time."

"You haven't?" A gleam of pride brightened his eyes. Jessica resisted rolling hers. His self-esteem must be low if his only source of pride was getting her off. Pathetic.

"Nope," she shook her head, moving her hips enticingly. She lied, of course, but she knew what to say, to do, to get him ready for her. To do whatever she wanted. "So, what do you say, James? Why don't we head upstairs, see if we can go another round?"

He hesitated. "I don't know." She could guess the reason behind his uncertainty. Screw her in the bed he and his wife shared? An act considered low by anyone's standards.

Jessica found it thrilling.

Grinding harder against him, her action's cutting his reluctance short. "I want you to take me upstairs. I want to you to take me in your bed. It turns me on."

Her eyes danced in excitement. He'd give her whatever she wanted. Just like the others, he couldn't resist her. No man ever did. The glamour made sure of that.

Grinning, James lifted her. "Whatever you want."

His words turned her on almost as much as their hot bout of sex against the wall. He was now hers to play with, hers to use however she liked. A little pet of her very own. "That's what I like to hear."

Carrying her up the stairs, laying her down on his martial bed. Stripping away the rest of his clothing, he rode her as if his life depended on it. Afterwards, he lay there, sweaty, his hair a mess, and a grin on his face. Proud of himself, she supposed. He'd screwed the pretty girl from next door. Taken her the way he wanted, hard and dirty, while she begged him more. Demanded he take her even harder.

Jessica let him revel in his virility. He'd done a good job, after all. "So," she said as she got to her feet, red mark's covering her breasts and thigh's, signs of his passion. She stood without a stitch on, unconcerned by her nudity. "Tomorrow?"

He didn't hesitate this time. No false claims of regret, or declare it a mistake, a one-time thing. A moment of insanity his wife must never find out about. No, he lay there, satisfaction oozing from him. He probably found it exciting After all, who didn't want to have an affair with their hot, young neighbour?

"Come over when you're ready," he replied.

"I will," she said as she turned to leave the bedroom. A little too girly with its flower-covered wallpaper and ruffled bed sheets. If Vicky ever found out what happened in this room, on those hideous sheets, she'd burn the house down.

Jessica spun back to him, her breasts swaying with the movement. "You do understand, outside of this house we're only neighbours. You will only talk to me this way, touch me the way I like you to, when we're in this house."

He shrugged lazily. "Of course."

"Good. I'll see you tomorrow."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N Hi everyone! I'm loving the reviews I'm getting, please keep them coming. In this chapter we get a little more Edward and Bella time.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Four**

Grimacing, Edward sipped his coffee. Gold's Diner made a terrific stack of pancakes, but couldn't make a decent cup of coffee for shit. For the last two hours he sat in the diner, sipping terrible coffee, watching Bella Stevens.

Walking in earlier that morning, it surprised him to find every table, every booth, full. He finally managed to snag the corner booth thanks to his quick feet. Beating a group of middle-aged women, and a young couple who'd eyed the table, in the process.

Now he sat in his booth, pretending to read the local newspaper. Struggling to ignore sounds of incessant chatter, clanging glasses, and banging pots and pans from the kitchen. And the smell. Ugh. Thick in the air, all the different foods, along with the heat of the diner, it turned his stomach.

The second Bella finished her shift, he'd be out the door.

Yesterday managed to make it on a list of the worst days of his very long life. This coming from a man whose most vivid memory was his mother clutching his tiny arms, begging for his heartless bastard of father to reconsider taking him away. His only other memory including her, the day his father arrived at the training camp, the first time they'd seen each other in almost three years, to coolly inform Edward his mother perished in a fire.

 _Good times_ , he thought darkly. Even now, over a century later, hatred for the great Aeron Campbell burned like acid in his gut. Grief for the mother he never got the chance to know, weighed heavily in his heart.

Catching his thoughts, he shook off memories of the past. He detested wallowing in a past he could never change. Instead he concentrated on the here and now.

After being warned off by Mrs. Young, Edward realized he needed a way of integrating himself into Bella's life. Quickly coming up with an idea, one that meant he'd see her in the veterinary clinic often.

He grand idea required an animal.

Get something small, he'd thought at first. Like a hamster or a goldfish. But a goldfish didn't need to visit the vet, right? Would they even accept a goldfish's as a patient? He doubted it. With that in mind, he'd travelled to a pet store, choosing an animal that required needles, checkups, and—he winced even now at the thought—neutering.

Yes, yesterday Edward got a puppy. Despite being dead set on purchasing a hamster. An easy pet, which only needed feeding, cleaning, and watering. Something he could leave to its own devices. He discarded the idea after becoming aware a hamster might only get him, perhaps, one appointment at Bella Stevens's clinic.

A cat, he concluded. Cats did their own thing, right? They didn't need a lot of attention. Again, food, water, a warm place to sleep. But one glance at the tiny golden ball of fur yapping in a cage… he'd been lost.

Edward didn't want to consider what his brothers, his trainees, would think if they found out how, after one glance at a little golden retriever, he'd turned into a puddle of goo in the middle of a pet store.

He'd never live it down.

Edward, a battle-hardened Warrior who earned the respect of his superiors, as well as other beings who made up the supernatural world, didn't melt at the sight of a puppy. He didn't spend a fortune on chew toys, purchasing dog treats because he wanted to make the little mutt happy. He did not sneak said puppy into his room, or spend the night cuddled up to the little fur ball when it started whimpering.

 _What's happening to me?_ he wondered, scowling down at the newspaper.

He'd taken the thing for a walk earlier before stashing him away in the small bathroom. Placing a Do Not Disturb on the door handle, he prayed no one heard the little guy. He purchased a bunch of stuffed toys for the little mutt, even wrapped a ticking clock in a blanket, hiding it in a makeshift bed. He hoped it worked. He needed the little dude to remain quiet until he returned for him.

Angus, Edward thought with a small shake of his head. He named the thing Angus. He didn't know why, he planned to get rid of him as soon as possible. But the little guy needed a name in the meantime.

Sound of laughter, her laughter, caught his attention, sharp green eyes darting up, Edward found her easily. Everyone liked Bella Stevens, he discovered when subtly pumping a woman in the grocery store. She turned out to be a great source of information, and more than happy to fill him in on Bella. Edward knew his digging might get back to Bella, but it's a risk he took willingly, and one easily explained if she questioned him. To everyone, he appeared a young, red-blooded male, asking about an attractive woman he just met.

The woman, for the life of him he couldn't remember her name, told Edward almost everyone loved her. Those who didn't, claimed her too nice. Believed her kindness a falsehood. In reality, he knew her curse made "good". Kind. Unbearably sweet to those around her.

Even if they didn't deserve it.

Observing her as she hurried around the lively diner, Edward thought of her curse. Last night, he watched her from the window, using his tremendous hearing and eyesight allowing him to spy on her from his car as she worked the late shift. What he found witnessed didn't make sense. Sweet and kind, yes, but she also swore like a sailor, and made quite a few sarcastic remarks. Didn't think twice about speaking her mind, either. Or hesitate to put a couple of guys in their place when they'd given her attitude. Cutting them down to size swiftly, and with the skill of a surgeon before asking if they wanted to hear the specials. Edward looked on, stunned. Cursed at birth, right? Sweet, kind, unable to say a mean word to anyone?

Bella called those guys every name under the sun, took their order, and strolled away with a sassy sway of her hips.

Edward suddenly jolted in his seat, the vibrating phone in his pocket startling him. He lifted a hip, quickly seeking out the small object. Reading the name displayed, he tapped the screen. Answering, he brought the phone to his ear. "Hey, Jasper, what's up?"

"I'm just checking in. How's small-town life?"

Gaze still locked on Bella, he replied, "Monotonous. Small-town people, with small-town lives. How are things back home?" Home, a place desperately wished to return. Or better yet, Brooklyn, tracking down the bitch who killed his brother.

"Well, nothing's happening in Brooklyn," he replied as if reading Edward's thoughts. "The guys are still chasing their tails over there. Nothing's new here, either. Unless you count Benjamin acting like a bigger prick than ever."

Edward's brow furrowed. "Because of Mike? Have you tried talking to him?"

Jasper scoffed. "Fuck, no. I know it's sad, Ed. I liked Mike, too. But the dude got himself killed. Will I happily gut the bitch in retaliation? Hell, yes. But it's his own fault. Let's be honest: he picked the wrong time to think with his dick. If Benjamin can't handle the death of one of his brothers, then call a meeting with Emmett and sever his bond with the Bràthaireil. He'll keep his abilities, but lose his longevity," he rambled. "Then again, if he can't handle this shit, who wants him around for the next couple of centuries? I don't want him around now."

"You're right." But Edward doubted Benjamin would ever request Emmett to destroy his bond to the Bràthaireil, losing his title amongst Warriors. "I don't think it will happen," he said out loud. "Anything else I need to know?

"I've been spending some time with the beautiful Carmen. Turns out she's a lot like her bestie, Tanya."

Edward snorted. "Please tell me you're not banging Carmen."

"No can do, dude. The girl is a hellcat in the sack."

"Jasper, you've seen the shit I get from Tanya to this day. Unless you're serious about her, I advise caution. Or better yet, break it off. Now."

"I am serious about her," Jasper insisted. "I'm serious about banging her from now to next Tuesday. And before you begin a lecture, she doesn't want anything more from me." He paused. "I think she's ashamed of me."

Edward pictured his geeky, computer-obsessed friend. Not many witnessed the ruthless beast he became during battle. Or, should he ever decide to take Edward on he'd most likely win. They saw a nerd, who acted like a teenage boy, who spent most of his time in front of a computer screen.

"She's definitely ashamed of you."

Jasper chortled. "Ouch. Now, tell me about your day," he ordered like a worried mother sending her kid off to camp for the summer.

"Not much to tell. I got my ass kicked yesterday by an invisible force, threatened by Mrs. Young. I got a puppy. Now I'm sitting in the diner, watching every move Bella Stevens makes while trying not to feel like a total creep."

"You got a puppy?"

Of course, that's what he'd focus on. "Yes, I need a reason to 'bump' into Bella since she works the desk at the clinic."

"Send me pictures," he commanded.

"No. That's never going to happen. As soon as I'm done here, I'll shove the thing in the pound and forget all about it."

"You can't do that," Jasper protested. "Most shelters put the animal down if they can't find it a home. You will be sentencing an innocent puppy to death. Besides, a dogs for life, Edward, not just for Christmas. Isn't that the saying?"

"I'm hanging up now."

"No! Don't. I'm bored. Back to Bella. Weren't you in the diner last night? She's going to make you, bro."

"No, I watched her from outside the diner, like a good little stalker. And gave myself a bitch of a headache by letting in so much noise."

"Yeah, the advanced hearing is great until you overload," Jasper agreed. "It's a risk you take when you lower your barriers and let all that noise in."

"Don't I know it. And you don't worry, I'm not sitting in her section. She hasn't spotted me," he stated confidently.

"What's she like? Is she batshit crazy like her sister?"

"No. She's actually, kind of, normal."

"You expected, what? Three heads and a tail?"

Edward scowled. "No. Of course not. But I expected something different, that's for sure. When Tanya told us about her curse, I pictured a sweet woman, afraid of her own shadow. Not a woman with attitude, and a sharp tongue if necessary."

"So?"

"What do you mean, so? Isn't this chick supposed to be the epitome of goodness? She's... normal," he repeated, unable to think of a better way to describe her.

"You expected to find who? Glinda the Good?"

"Who's she?"

Jasper sighed heavily. "We seriously need to work on your movie trivia when you get home. Glinda, as in munchkins, ruby slippers, the yellow brick road. Is none of this ringing a bell?"

"Oh? Her." He thought about it for a moment before saying, "Yeah, I did. Kind of."

"Dude, she's cursed to be a good person, not a Disney princess. Even good people defend themselves. They get mad. Say things they don't mean sometimes. Only they say they're sorry first. And mean it. They forgive. I think a lot of people mistake good people as pushovers. They do the right thing, the kind thing. I bet if you watch her a little more, you'll see she genuinely cares about people."

Edward mulled it over. He'd seen her do little things, things no one paid much attention to, all day. Helping a woman with her stroller while entertaining the screaming toddler strapped inside, allowing the older gentleman who left his wallet at home to have his breakfast on the house. Bella didn't make a big deal out of it or act as if he needed charity. She helped him out and proceeded to brush it off as no big deal.

But it had been a big deal to him. Face burning crimson, embarrassed, he looked like he wanted to kick himself for his forgetfulness. Panicked eyes darted around the crowded diner, obviously humiliated, but Bella shrugged a shoulder, telling him not to worry about it. Claiming she forgot her purse yesterday. How she wished for a hole to swallow her up at the cash register. A lie, Edward knew, but a little white one to put the man at ease.

"I see what you mean."

"I ask again, what's she like?" Jasper demanded curiously.

Charming. The word popped into his head instantly. Edward wanted to kick his own teeth in for the thought. As his enemy; it shouldn't matter if he believed her charming or not.

"She's…nice," he finished awkwardly. He didn't want to tell Jasper what he truly thought of Bella Stevens. Share with his friend in the short time he'd watched her, and during their brief conversation, he found her to be a charming, funny, adorable woman.

He didn't want to admit it to Jasper, or himself.

Why he reacted to the witch the way he did, Edward didn't know, but he sure as hell resented it. He felt confused. Torn between his training as a Warrior, and what he felt as a man. He shouldn't be charmed by Bella Steven's, or find her funny.

 _Or check out her ass,_ he scolded himself, jerking his eyes from the arousing sight.

 _What's wrong with me?_ He never, ever let physical attraction distract him, allow it to cloud his judgement. He needed to keep his eyes away from Bella's shapely backside and get his head back in the game where it belonged.

No, he couldn't tell Jasper any of this. Until he knew what the hell was happening to him, Edward thought it best to keep his insanity to himself.

"Nice, huh? She sound's boring."

Edward thought of the woman who locked herself out in the rain, so she could learn how to pick locks under pressure, of the kindness she'd shown all morning. The way she flashed him a sweet smile before slamming the door in his face.

No, he didn't find her boring.

Despite his best intentions, his eyes sought her again. Hair tied back in a high ponytail, wearing an apron over her T-shirt and jeans, she looked beautiful. Her cheeks flushed from rushing around the diner, her smile never faltered. She moved with the grace of a dancer. And the energy of a small child, he thought, his lips curling into a crooked smile.

Chatting with diners, with other waitresses as she raced around, dropping in and out of conversations easily before she rushing off once more. She handled fussy customers, and a few rude ones, with grace. Singing softly to herself as she poured shitty coffee. Edward liked that the most.

Catching his inappropriate thoughts, Edward huffed out a frustrated breath, looking down at the newspaper as if he gave a shit about the mess the human race got themselves into today. _Bella Stevens is a witch, jackass_ , he reminded himself. Possibly hiding the woman who tortured his brother, murdering him, yet he sat here, daydreaming about her singing?

 _What is wrong with me?_

"Dude, you still there?" Jasper demanded.

 _Just tell him_. Jasper may be a complete nerd, with an unhealthy obsession for computer games, but he's also a loyal friend. When the time called for it, he had a good head on his shoulders. He'd be the voice of reason to help Edward make sense of his disturbing thoughts and emotions. Get him back on the straight and narrow, something he desperately needed.

Before he got the chance to share his shameful secret, he spotted Bella making her way through the diner, tugging her stained apron from her waist as she hurried out back.

Checking his watch, he made a mental note of the time before telling Jasper, "I gotta to go."

Ending the call, Edward didn't give Jasper time to respond before. He needed to head back to the inn. Pick up the fleabag for his appointment.

He hoped Angus hadn't shit all over Mrs. Bodine's bathroom.

#

Bella arrived at the clinic. A two-story redbrick building with a white sign, almost obnoxious in its size, declaring it a veterinary clinic. Rosebushes grew beneath the windows, surrounded the modest parking lot out front. A field lay at the back of the building, a space for animal's within the clinic's care to get the exercise they required until well enough to return home.

After chaining her bicycle around back, she popped in the pass code on the door, entering once the lock clicked, granting her access inside. God bless air conditioning, Bella thought, standing still for a moment, crisp air soothing her skin.

Celia Bond, fifty years old, divorced, and downright mean sometimes, manned the receptionist's desk. Tapping her foot impatiently, her left hand frantically jotting something down on a thick notepad. _Is she scribbling down ideas for the erotic novel she's writing?_ Bella asked herself, sneaking to the staff restroom to change her clothes.

Bella desperately wanted to read it. She'd love to know the grouchy woman's secret fantasies.

Turning the lock behind her, she headed toward the old gray lockers provided, dragging out the spare set of clothes she stored for days like this. Making a note to replace them, she quickly changed into her black slacks, comfy shoes, and ivory blouse.

Finger combing her hair, she hurried to waiting area with minutes to spare. Celia didn't appreciate waiting around, and Bella would rather start her shift a little earlier than be on the receiving end of one of Celia's snide remarks.

"You're late," Celia admonished without looking up from her notepad. The pen she gripped tightly scrawling words across the page. Bella tried to catch a glimpse, but couldn't decipher the woman's messy handwriting from where she stood.

Bella's eyes glanced at the large, round clock hanging on the wall. She arrived with three minutes to spare. She wanted to point this out to Celia but held her tongue.

"I'm sorry," she apologized unnecessarily.

Celia huffed. "I've been rushed off my feet all morning."

Bella eyes skimmed the waiting room. Busy, but not hectic. Plus, if she were rushed off her feet, why did she have time to make notes for her future best seller?

"I'm sorry," she repeated.

 _Why are you apologizing to her?_ Jessica's lazy voice yawned in her mind.

 _It's easier than listening to another rant_ , she replied telepathically. _Celia can be…difficult._

 _Sometimes, little sister, it's better to make enemies than keep the peace. If it were me, she'd be on her knees, begging for her life by now._

Bella rolled her eyes. _Then it's a good thing I'm not you, isn't it?_

Her sister harrumphed _. Why doesn't she like you?_

 _Long story. Apparently, her ex-husband used to have it pretty bad for my mom in high school. Celia has yet to let it go._

 _Seriously?_ Jessica demanded. _She's holding onto a grudge from high school? She's pathetic._

 _It obviously means something to her._

 _Yeah? Well, she's a grown ass woman, she should be over it by now_. _Send her little notepad flying across the room or I will._

Bella stifled a giggle. _Goodbye, Jessica_ , she replied, cutting off their conversation before Jessica followed through on her threat. Celia may not be the nicest woman, but she didn't deserve her work hurled across the room for everyone to see.

"You should be," Celia replied, finally looked up from her notes, a scowl pinching her

attractive features. It disappeared when Dr. Bennett strode into the waiting room.

From the way her brown eyes lit up whenever he glanced at her, Bella surmised Celia's husband wasn't the only one to desire another.

Not that Dr. Phillip Bennett noticed, or would reciprocate her feelings if he did. Happily married to the high school principal since same sex marriage became legal in Georgia in 2015, he'd been in a committed, loving relationship since college, though it hadn't been easy for the couple. Small towns, Dr. Bennett would say whenever the subject came up.

Bella empathized with Celia. She loved a man she could never have. Something Bella understood all too well.

Shaking off thoughts of Jacob, Bella turned her to boss, flashing him a strained smile. He caught on quickly. Over the years, he'd walked over to find Celia acting rudely toward her often. Like those times, he winked at her, silently urging her to leave it to him.

"Celia," he greeted. "I know you're off home in a second, but would you mind staying a moment longer? I need a word with Bella," he added seriously.

Celia's smile brightened. Most likely assuming, having overheard their conversation, Dr. Bennett intended to reprimand the younger woman.

"Of course, Phillip. I mean, Dr. Bennett," she corrected herself quickly.

"Thank you. Bella, my office please."

Bella followed Dr. Bennett to his small office on the second floor. A tiny space, over-crowded with ugly, gray cabinets, a beaten-up old desk he'd found at a garage sale sat underneath a bare window. Dr. Bennett stated he didn't need much since he dealt with patients in the examination room downstairs. Plus, he didn't care if paying clients judged his decorating skills.

Once inside, with a dramatic sigh, Bella flopped herself down on his worn chair. Perched on the edge of his desk, Dr. Bennett regarded her with laughing eyes.

"I thought I'd give you a minute to collect yourself before you finally give in to temptation and bash her head in with a stapler," he commented.

Bella wanted to laugh. She'd never do such a thing, no matter how unfriendly Celia might be. But Dr. Bennett didn't know this. He didn't know of her curse. Simply assumed her fuse longer than others.

"I try to see it from her point of view, I really do, but I don't understand the woman. How can she hold a grudge against me? It happened years before I came along," she added, remembering Jessica's words from their conversation moments ago.

He shrugged a shoulder. "Blame your parents."

"I wish I did. I wish I could be angry. Instead, I feel sorry for her. For myself. Every time we cross paths, she takes a jab. I'm late. I messed up with an appointment. Or failed to mention a check-up at nine got cancelled. All of which are untrue, but I can't say that because whenever I try, she railroads me."

"Then don't let her. Would you like me to talk to her?"

Bella shook her head. "No. I don't want her to get in trouble, or to think I came running to you. I only wish she'd realize I'm not her enemy."

He chuckled. "Your mother used to say the same thing. Back in the old days," he teased. "Celia refused to believe it then, too. Since your mother and father moved away, she needs to take her anger out on someone."

"Why? Her husband left her for a woman from three towns over, not my mom. My parents are in another state, and she's refuses to let it go. I don't understand it."

Sliding off the edge of the desk to balance on the arm of the chair, he ignored the furniture's groan of protest at his added weight. "That's because you're too kind. You're so nice to people, it worries me. What will happen when you finally lose your temper, I wonder? You know what they say about the quiet ones." He nudged her shoulder with his elbow.

His fear would never become a reality, Bella knew. Unable to share the truth with him, she lightened the mood. "But how can she hate me? I'm adorable!" she exclaimed, succeeding in making him laugh.

As her boss, plus an old family friend, his laughter warmed her. "The woman is a mystery. An odd duck," he added.

"Well, I best get back to that 'odd duck'. I doubt even your brown eyes, or swoon worthy smile will soothe Celia's temper if she's left waiting too long."

He grinned. "Swoon worthy, huh? I like that." His expression sobered. "Don't let her get to you. If you change your mind, come talk to me. Your father would kill me if he finds out you're unhappy, and his oldest friend did nothing to help."

"I will," she promised, rushing outside to relieve Celia of her post.

Celia got to her feet. Her smile a shade smug, she left for the day.

Relieved, Bella lowered herself into the chair. Time to begin her second job of the day. Six hours, she thought, noting the time on the computer screen. Six more hours, then she'd swing by the grocery store before heading home for a movie night with her sister.

Smiling at the idea of quality time with her twin, Bella answered the phone on the second ring, ticking down the minutes in her mind.

An hour into her shift, she'd just finished booking a Dalmatian for her booster shots, when the bell above the door rang. Her mind still preoccupied from the conversation she'd overheard at the start of her shift, she didn't pay the bell much attention.

Two women, chatting about the local gossip. Nothing out of the ordinary. They talked about the latest rumors circling town, while Bella eavesdropped shamelessly, before discussing a new man in town. It must be the man she'd met outside her house the day Jessica came to town. She tried to listen in, to see what information they gained since his arrival. Much to her disappointment, it appeared no one knew much about him. Yet.

Forcing herself to focus, she started look up, to greet the person who entered. Before she could, the phone rang, someone cancelling an appointment last minute, which wouldn't please Dr. Bennett. He hated last minute cancellations. As she replaced the phone in its cradle, a masculine voice spoke over the noise of chattering clients. "Hello, Watson."

Lips curling into a brilliant smile, heart faltering in her chest, Bella's gaze shot to his. The handsome man, who assisted her in breaking into her house, stood before her.

"Hi. What are you going here?"

Lifting his arm slightly, he gestured to a small bundle of fur cradled in the crook of his elbow. Bella blushed, embarrassed she didn't notice the dog he held. Now that she noticed the puppy, she melted. She'd never seen a puppy as adorable the one he held. The type that made children plead with parents for one of their own. Fluffy golden fur, happy brown eyes, and paws he, or she, hadn't grown into yet. Bella could see herself begging her parents for one, too.

"I've got an appointment at two." He glanced at the watched strapped to his wrist. "I'm a little late. This little guy got a hold of a box of tissue paper. A war must have broken out between the two of them."

"A war, huh? Well, I hope he won, at least. It's okay. Dr. Bennett is running a little behind, too. He shouldn't be long. What's this little guy's name?" she asked, pushing to her feet. Bella gently petted the sweetest thing she'd ever seen.

"Angus."

Her gaze shot to his. "Angus," she echoed, laughing softly when the puppy began lapping her fingertips with his tongue.

"Yeah," he replied. A little defensively, she thought. "It's a strong name." His green eyes darted to the puppy whose tongue hung out, dark eyes bright with enthusiasm. He added, "He'll grow into it."

"I'm sure he will," she agreed. "How long have you had him?"

"Since yesterday morning."

Her eyes widened. "Yesterday?" Tucking her finger underneath Angus's chin, she met the puppy's chocolate-brown eyes.

"Yes."

Stepping back, she peered at the man, a small smirk playing on her lips. "You do realize Mrs. Bodine doesn't allow pets of any kind, right?"

He returned her smirk with a boyish grin she liked a little too much. "How do you know where I'm staying? Checking up on me?"

Bella barked a laugh at the satisfied gleam in his eyes. Did he like the idea of her asking about him?

"No," she replied honestly. With Jessica's surprise return, she hadn't paid him much thought since he strolled away from her. "In a town this small, the rumor mill runs pretty fast. I'd been at my desk ten minutes when I overheard two ladies talking about you. And if I know these ladies, which I believe I do since they're here all the time, I should know your life story, and marital status, by their next appointment."

He continued to smirk down at her. The cutest little crinkles appearing at the corner of his eyes. Bella declared it unfair. Boyish smile, dimples, and laugh lines. How did a girl like her resist a man like him? Considering his confidence, how he flirted so easily with her, she doubted many women resisted.

"You could always ask me yourself."

Bella shook her head. "No. It's more fun this way."

He chuckled, a deep rumbling sound. "Well, you let me know when you find out about my sordid past," he teased. His brow creasing, he suddenly frowned down at her. "You're not going to rat me out, are you?" He unleashed puppy-dog eyes on her enough rival Angus's in the cuteness department.

"What? And make this little guy homeless?" She gestured to Angus, who snuggled up to his owner. "No, it will be our little secret." Shuffling slightly, she asked, "You're planning on staying around a little longer, huh? You're not just visiting someone?"

He held her gaze for a long moment.

"I'll be staying for a little while longer than I planned. Since that's the case, I decided to get myself a buddy. The job would've been yours, but you were too busy slamming a door in my face to hear about the position. In the rain," he added solemnly. "After I saved you from spending the night on the porch."

Bella bit her lip. Now way would she laugh. The man's ego appeared big enough already.

"That doesn't scream small-town hospitality, does it?"

"No, but it does scream common sense," she tossed back.

The two stood there, smiling at the other, sharing a private joke. A joke that confused those eavesdropping on their conversation. While it might not be understood, it would spread throughout town they'd seen young Bella flirting with the new man in town.

Before she could break the silence, Dr. Bennett's voice sounded from over the speaker phone. "Bella, can you send in my two o'clock, please?"

"That's you. Down the hall, third door on the left."

He tipped his head, sexy grin still in place, he strode away. Angus glancing back, his little tail whipping from side to side.

"See you around, Angus," she called out. His rumble of laughter echoed back to her.

#

Much to her disappointment, Bella missed her new friend on his way out. She waited patiently, feigning indifference. Acting as if half the people in the waiting room weren't gawping at her.

While attempting to appear busy, she checked in on Jessica. Only her sister's voice didn't pop in her mind, teasing her about her run in with her lock picking pal. Three times, Bella attempted to connect with her sister. Three times she failed.

Worried, she rushed to the restroom, asking the veterinary nurse to cover the desk for a few minutes. After a few more attempts, Jessica's voice finally responded, explaining she'd fallen asleep on the sofa.

Bella was too relieved to spot the lie.

Returning to her desk, Diane Smith, the manager of the grocery store, informed her, rather loudly, she just missed him. And he looked just as disappointed, she added with a wink.

How humiliating.

Deciding she'd given them enough for one day, Bella concentrated on her work.

Or tried too, anyway. Every so often, her thoughts would drift to him.

A handsome man who made her laugh. And an adorable puppy. An animal lover, always a plus in her opinion.

Bella remained strong throughout the rest of her shift. Proud of her self-control, she mounted her bike at the end of the workday, heading into town. Nothing would distract her more, she knew, than a slasher-movie marathon with Jessica. Maybe a tub of ice cream to share. She laughed. Who was she kidding? A tub of ice cream each.

Upon entering the grocery store, Bella informed her sister she'd be home soon. Jessica sounded excited, if a little distracted, for the night's festivities to begin. She begged her sister to bring home popcorn. After stating she didn't enjoy the traditional movie snack, Jessica protested she couldn't watch a poor, hapless teenage girl with fake breasts get hacked up without it.

As Bella predicted earlier, some whispered as she grabbed a shopping basket. Some shot conspicuous glances her way. Ignoring them, avoiding the gaze of Amanda, the cashier, she made her way directly to the junk-food.

Pausing to make the tough decision between cookie dough or chocolate fudge, a deep, familiar voice demanded, "Are you following me?"

Overfilled shopping basket in hand, she spun to find the man behind the voice. "What?"

Standing in worn-out jeans and a T-shirt, he leaned against the freezer door. No Angus this time, she noted, her heart once again thumping in her chest. Suddenly she felt hot and flustered, despite cool air wafting from the open freezer door.

Shutting the door, Bella tried to come up with a witty response. "What?" she asked again when nothing else came to mind.

He aimed his smile, the one that made her stomach flutter, directly at her. His eyes, like earlier, bright with laughter. "I wanted to know if you are following me? First, I see you at the clinic. Now in the ice-cream section. Should I be worried?"

Bella switched the heavy basket from one hand to the other before replying. "You should be worried?" she demanded. "You came up to me in the street. You came to me earlier, again, this time at my place of work. Now, here we are again, with you popping up out of nowhere while I'm minding my own business. I'm starting to think I need to watch my back."

 _Go, Bella_ , Jessica cheered. Bella's shoulders to stiffened. _Your flirting skills need work, but you're getting better._

Her sister's bad habit of dropping into her mind whenever she felt like it, rose its ugly head once again. Yet Jessica made sure she couldn't return the favor. Not since that night...

 _Stop it,_ she hissed. _If I laugh in front of this man, he will think I've got a few screws loose. Also, my flirting does not need work!_

 _You keep telling yourself that, little sister_ , she chuckled before vanishing from her mind.

She liked the way he held himself, Bella decided. Tall and strong, self-confidence rooted within him. It showed in every smile, every step. Even the way he leaned against the freezer door. As if he owned the place. The world.

Bella didn't know why it appealed to her. She'd never liked borderline arrogant men before.

"Don't worry. You're safe with me," he assured her quietly.

"I'm sure that's what all psychopaths say. Where's Angus?"

He grimaced. "He's not talking to me. He considers our trip to Dr. Bennett an unforgivable betrayal. When I left him, he'd just begun his attack on the toilet-brush holder. I know he was picturing my face as he gnawed on the bristly part. Which is why I'm here. To replace it before anyone notices."

Biting the inside of her cheek, she asked, "How do you know he pictured you?"

"It's in the eyes."

Bella broke then. She couldn't hold back the smile lighting her face if someone held a gun to her head. From the smug gleam in his eyes, he knew it, too.

His eyes flickered to her basket. "You got plans tonight?"

She nodded. "Yes." With her sister, who no one knew existed.

"Is it with your deputy friend?" he asked casually. A little too casually, she sensed.

Could this man, a stranger, dislike the idea of her vegging out in front of the television with her ex? More importantly, why did the possibility please her so much? She didn't even know his name.

"No. I don't have plans with him."

"Good. How about tomorrow night? Got any plan's then?"

 _Is he asking me out?_ Bella had only been in one relationship her entire life. A relationship which started in middle school. She didn't know how to read the signs. She also didn't want to embarrass herself by assuming he'd asked her out, only to find out she'd read the signals wrong.

 _Of course, he's asking you out,_ Jessica spoke inside her mind, butting in yet again. _He likes you, it's so obvious. He wants to take you out. Say yes._

 _I can't,_ she replied. _He's a stranger. An incredibly sexy stranger, who is so out of my league. Besides, you're here. I can't leave you to go off with a guy I barely know._

Jessica laughed. _He's human, little sister. I think you can handle him. Or if you'd like, I can always come with you. Make sure he's who he says he is. Keep's himself in line. Hide in your car on the street in case he decides to get fresh._

 _No!_ Bella shouted in her head. While Jessica might be teasing now, she'd do it.

Jessica cackled inside her mind, most likely at her swift rejection. _Bella,_ _it's a date. There is no "going off." He takes you out, buys you a drink, maybe you got to dinner or a movie. You have fun. Say yes._

 _What about you?_ She worried. _I'll be at work all day, out with him at night. You'll be all alone. I can't leave you. We don't know how much time we've got together._

 _Bella,_ Jessica spoke firmly. _I am here for as long as we want. And even if I leave, I will never allow Carlisle, or anyone else, to separate us again. Say yes. Have fun. Then come home with some juicy details,_ she added saucily.

He continued to stand there, looking down at her with a confused expression on his handsome face. "Are you okay?"

Blinking, her cheeks burning bright red, she replied quickly, "I'm fine. Are you asking me out?" When confused, Bella found honesty worked wonders.

"Yes. I am."

She bit her lip, deciding. "Okay. I'd like that."

His smile grew. He looked so sexy, she became very much aware that she didn't. Tired, sweaty, her hair a mess from the bike ride, and she didn't smell too fresh, either.

He, on the other hand, looked perfect. He was perfect. Much more Jessica's league, she believed, but refused to let it get in the way.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow night. Around seven, if you're free."

"I am."

"Good. I'll see you then," he added, turning on his heel to stroll away.

"Hey!"

He turned. "Yeah?"

"What's your name?" It wouldn't keep him talking for long, but the only thing she could think of. Also, it seemed a good question to ask. For all he knew, she'd just accepted a date with someone whose name she didn't even know.

He chuckled. "Haven't the gossips in town told you yet?"

"No. They must be slacking off." If she admitted she spent ten minutes simply staring at the information in Angus's file, he'd call her a stalker.

There might be a little truth behind that.

"They must be," he agreed. "My name is Edward Campbell."

She smiled. "I'm—" she began.

"Bella Stevens. I know. See you tomorrow." He turned, continuing on his way down the small aisle.

Acting on instinct, she called out, "Checking up on me?"

He didn't bother to stop this time. Looking back over his shoulder, he winked at her. "Maybe," he said before exiting the store, leaving her standing there. Grinning like an idiot.

#

Bella's smile refused to dim through the freezer section, or as she picked up a bottle of wine. Or when she rushed back down the aisles to collect her favorite bubble-gum-scented hand sanitizer.

It lasted all the way out of the store, only to fall like a led balloon when she bumped into Jacob. The town's deputy. The man who broke her heart.

"Hey, Bella. You off home?" His smile warm, even while sadness lingered in his dark eyes.

"Yeah," she replied nervously. Despite it being almost a year since she'd called off their engagement, Bella still found it awkward around him. The wounds still raw, the cruel words spoken still fresh in her mind.

Words he didn't even remember saying.

"How are you planning on getting this stuff home?"

Bella frowned down at the heavy shopping. She purchased a lot more than she planned to. "I'm thinking I'll ride with no hands. You know, like you taught me when we were kids."

He chuckled. Bella wanted to close her eyes, savor the sound of his rich laughter. While his laughter brought her pleasure, it also brought pain—like a jagged knife embedded in her chest, piercing her heart.

Bella missed it. She missed their private jokes, and lazy Sunday afternoon's watching movies. She missed him.

She wondered if, one day, she'd be able to see him, talk to him, and feel nothing but happiness. She hoped so. Preferably one day soon.

"Come on," he ordered, gesturing towards his truck. "I'll take you home."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Silence hung between them. Jacob, ex-love of her life, turned the key, his black Ford pickup truck roaring to life. Since offering her a lift, and carefully placing her beloved bike in the bed of his truck, neither one spoke. She felt uncomfortable, awkward. Clicking her seat belt in place, Bella deeply regretted accepting his offer.

 _How did we get here_? Bella thought sadly, gazing out the passenger window, the streets flew by in a blur. At one time in her life she'd burst into a fit of uncontrollable at the idea of feeling uncomfortable around Jacob. Believe it impossible. He'd been her best friend, after all.

Jacob made her happy. Better than the man of her dreams, because he was real. Her closest friend, her biggest supporter, and a man who'd made she feel safe, and he asked her to spend the rest of her life with him.

Handsome, with compassionate dark eyes, a welcoming smile, and a what-the-hell laugh. Physically, many women's fantasy—tall, strong, broad shoulders, supple muscles Bella openly ogled as they played beneath soft skin.

Everything she wished for in a man. In a partner.

Growing up in the same town, they'd known each for as long as she remembered. Their parent's friends since school, they followed suit.

Bella loved Jacob since she knew what love meant. She couldn't recall the exact moment she fell for him. When their friendship blossomed into something more.

The transition from innocent friendship to young lovers, effortless. As easy, and as natural, as breathing.

Her first everything. Her first kiss, first love… first lover.

The first, the only, man to break her heart. Jacob, her soul mate, crushed her that night. He destroyed the future they would have shared together. The one she dreamed of since their first kiss in his backyard on a hot summer's day.

Despite everything said, and done, that awful night, she didn't hate him. Part of her curse, possibly. But also, because she loved him. Would always love him.

Clearing his throat, Jacob dragged Bella from her memories of the past. Shoving her back to the present.

Flashing him a sheepish smile, she turned to him. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"I asked if you'd spoken with your parents lately."

"Yes," she replied.

"How are they?"

"They're fine, thank you."

Jacob blew out a small sigh, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel restlessly. He looked almost as uncomfortable as she felt.

"Todd? How is he?"

He'd been there the day she adopted Todd. He helped with feedings when Todd found drinking from a bowl difficult. Sat with a syringe full of kitten milk in his big hand until the kitten drank every drop. He played with him, cuddled him. Even cleaned the litter box because it turned her stomach.

Happy memories, ones she cherished, but, again, also a knife to her heart. It hurt to remember what they shared. To remember a time when they were happy.

"He's fine," she managed to say around the lump forming in her throat.

His sigh louder this time, he pleaded, "Come on, Bella. I'm trying."

"I know you are."

"Then help me out. You called things off, remember? Not me. Why are you acting like I'm the one who hurt you?"

Before she could help it, the words he'd said came rushing forward, dragging her into a memory she wished to forget…

"Bella? Where are you right now?" Jacob demanded, pulling up outside her house.

Bella jumped. Startled that she spaced out for the rest of the drive. They'd arrived at her house.

Concentrating on the here and now, she apologized for the second time. "I'm sorry, Jacob. Things just didn't work out."

 _They didn't work out_ , she added silently, _because you couldn't handle the truth._

They didn't work out because Carlisle wiped his memories. Implanting new ones of Bella handing him back his ring, declaring she didn't love him. Ending their engagement because she didn't want him anymore.

Bella became the talk of the town for quite some time. Some whispered mean things about her, called her cruel, heartless. Some demanded to know why she wanted to hurt a man like Jacob—Jacob, who began sleeping with other women days after their split.

In the past year, he'd dated a lot of women while she stayed home, yearning for him. Wanting him so desperately, she ached, while he spent the night with someone else.

Even now, the idea of him with another woman hurt like hell. Like a rusted dagger to her battered heart to know he'd touched another. Taken them in his arms after he'd her promised his heart, his loyalty.

Bella wanted to move on. Toss her hair over her shoulder like women from the books, the movies, and get on with her life. To hate him, because then, maybe, she'd stop hurting. Maybe then she wouldn't miss him so much.

"Didn't work out," he echoed quietly. "I don't understand. We were happy." He sounded so hurt, so confused, she ached for him.

Tears stung her eyes. "I know."

Bella didn't know what else to say. What she could say to convince him she'd moved on. She didn't want him.

"Thanks for the ride," she muttered, hopping from the truck.

Wanting to put as much distance between them as far possible, she dragged her bike from the bed of his truck, grabbing shopping bags he'd placed next to it. Jacob didn't help her this time. Instead he sat there, a wounded look clouding his handsome features.

If only he knew, she thought. If only she could tell him as much as he hurt now, as confused as he was, he'd played a big part in creating their situation.

Due to his reaction, Carlisle insisted on making a difficult choice: either remove his memories or remove him altogether. Forced to decide, she chose to save his life. Something he'd never know.

Quickly making her way to the house, she didn't bother to chain her bike. Instead, she tucked it under the window, rushing inside and closing the door behind her. Shutting him, and her pain, out.

Jessica sat, waiting for her at the foot of the stairs. Shoving to her feet as Bella closed the door behind her, she folded her arms around her, pulling her close.

"I'm sorry," she whispered into Bella's hair. "I'm so sorry, Bella."

Dropping her bags carelessly to the ground, Bella wrapped her arms around her twin's waist. Needing comfort from the one person who knew everything, who understood why she lied that night.

"I know," Bella replied.

"I wish I'd never mentioned being honest with Jacob."

"No," Bella protested softly. "If you didn't bring it up, I would've married him. Better it happened when it did, before we added children to the mix."

"But it doesn't stop it from hurting." Jessica stated quietly.

"No, it doesn't," Bella agreed. "But, one day, it won't hurt as much." She hoped.

Easing back, Jessica met her sister's gaze. Searched her eyes, looking for the truth, Bella realized. Smiling when she found it.

Grinning, Jessica dipped down, snatching up the bags, and tugged her sister toward the kitchen. "I think you're right. Besides, if I didn't bring it up, you'd take your secret to the grave. Carlisle wouldn't erase his memories, ending your relationship. When I think about it, if this didn't happen, you'd never meet, or go on a date with the hottie from the grocery store. You're welcome."

Laughing weakly at her sister's attempt to lighten to mood, she drawled, "Thanks. Actually, I'm really excited. He's…" she trailed off.

"Hot," Jessica supplied. "Ripped. Oozes sex appeal."

"I was going to say dreamy."

Jessica smirked. "I'll give you that. He is the closest thing to Prince Charming I've ever seen."

Bella giggled. "Plus, he's hot, ripped. Oozes sex appeal."

"Thank god!" Jessica groaned. "I'd begun to fear we're not really sisters."

"Did the identical face give it away?"

Jessica nudged her playfully "Come on, smart ass. Let's grab some snacks and head up to your room. We can have a movie montage and choose what you'll be wearing tomorrow night."

#

Edward didn't like the deputy. Bella's ex-fiancé, he thought with a scowl, who messed up his plans.

After leaving Bella in the grocery store, Edward returned to his car, waiting for her. She'd ridden her ugly bicycle to the store. He intended on building his gentlemen persona by offering her a ride home. Use the time to gain more of her trust. Then, after winning her over with his charming personality, he'd offer to carry her bags inside.

Once past the wards, Carmen assured him it'd be smooth sailing. If all went as planned, the charade could end. He'd search her home, place a few bugs here and there around her house. Ears behind enemy lines. He'd hear everything said in her home.

Not originally part of his plan, but Edward thought it wiser than playing Peeping Tom, waiting for her sister to show her face, and potentially destroying his cover.

Thankfully, a person can purchase anything online. No matter how inappropriate, or how many red flags they raised. Plus, it all came with the option of next day delivery.

Equipment delivered, Edward only needed to find a way past her wards. Then he'd stay far away from the charming Bella Stevens as possible.

Something close to disappointment came over him at the thought. He wouldn't see her eyes flash with laughter. Or catch a glimpse of her dimples when she smiled. Breathe in the sweet fragrance of her hair, a scent he feared addictive.

But now, thanks to the deputy screwing up his plans, Edward had no choice but to continue with the act, and follow through with their date, if he wanted to get an invitation inside.

Relief shoved aside disappointment. Frustration instantly replacing both emotions. He shouldn't feel relief. Pissed, yes, that he'd been reduced to this. Annoyance because a Warrior with his skill, reputation, now played the role of babysitter. Stalker. But it didn't.

Needing a distraction from his inappropriate reactions to the curvaceous redhead, he pulled his phone out of his back pocket, dialling a familiar number. No one distracted him like Jasper.

"'Lo," he answered, his voice slurred.

Edward frowned. "Were you asleep?"

Yawning, Jasper replied, "I pulled an all-nighter."

"Still searching for links to the witch on the computer?"

Jasper chuckled. "Yeah, that too," he added dryly.

Edward rolled his eyes. "What did I say about mixing with witches? It's a mistake." _Hypocrite_ , he thought sourly. Warning off Jasper when he drooled over a witch since he clapped eyes on her.

"I can take care of myself," Jasper drawled. "Why the phone call?"

"I've made contact."

"About time. How did it go?"

Edward shrugged. "It went as expected. Bella Stevens believes I am 'Mr. Perfect.' I'm playing the role of charming stranger rather well. We're going on a date tomorrow night."

"Where you will seduce her, gain access to her home, searching for signs of her bitch sister before disappearing into the night," Jasper finished.

Seduce Bella for a job? Use her in such a way? To his horror, the idea disgusted him. Shamed him.

He pictured her wide eyes as they chatted at the clinic. The way she teased him over stalking her. The glimpse of vulnerability in her warm hazel eyes when he asked her out.

Edward grimaced. Seduce Bella? No. Besides, with his emotions as confusing as they are at the moment? Too dangerous. Not that he'd tell Jasper. He knew Jasper. If Edward protested, Jasper would want to know why. He'd be like a dog with a bone until he uncovered the truth. His friend, the smartest man Edward knew, would see past his denials. He'd learn, to Edward, seducing Bella wouldn't be in aid of avenging Mike's murder, but because of her mouth-watering curves. Her adorable smile.

Edward didn't want to risk being right about his friend. So, he'd keep that part to himself. He feared if Jasper knew about his perplexing feelings concerning Bella, his friend would feel obligated to share it with Emmett. He'd be pulled from the case, another sent to replace him. A man who wouldn't hesitate to seduce Bella, or harm her, if it meant finding her sister.

Edward resented his perplexing emotions concerning the woman, yes, but refused to let that happen.

Besides, his head might be messed up now, his reaction's bewildering him, but all that might change come morning. He'd never felt at ease with a woman before, sure, or felt such spark with anyone else, but it could be a fluke. This time tomorrow, hopefully, he'd see things clearly. Be the man infamous amongst his people for the ice in his veins. Everything finally back to normal.

"Yeah," he replied, wincing at how unconvincing he sounded.

"Is everything okay?" Jasper asked after a short pause.

"Everything's fine," he lied. "I just can't wait to get this over with. I'm tired of this town." Mrs. Young's curtains twitched. He fought the instinct to duck, refusing to hide from an old woman.

"Okay," Jasper said slowly. "Any sign of the witch?"

"No. But I didn't expect her to walk up and introduce herself. That's why I need to get in the house."

"Remember: just because you haven't seen her, doesn't mean she's not there. Be careful."

"I will."

"Call me after your date. I want to know what's in that house."

"Yeah. Me, too." Hanging up without a goodbye, through narrowed eyes he examined the house in question.

She'd left her bike underneath the window. In a town like this, it might still be there in the morning.

Bella rushed from the deputy's truck minutes earlier. Thanks to his exceptional hearing, he heard everything, of course.

He learned Bella broke off the engagement, not the deputy. The deputy, who clearly still loved her.

He almost felt pity for the man. Almost. The man, Jacob, didn't understand what went wrong between them. He wanted her back.

He'd seen the deputy's dark eyes following the sway of her hips as Bella made her way to the truck.

Edward didn't like it.

 _Is she still hung up on him?_ he wondered. Automatically, he cursed himself, because it shouldn't matter to him whether or not she still loved the male. Finding her sister, exacting revenge, that's what truly mattered.

Despite his mixed emotions, his fucked-up head, he intended to use Bella without an ounce of guilt, or hesitation.

 _What if she's real,_ his softer side challenged. _What happens if Bella is innocent? If,_ his softer side continued, _I ignore the fact she'd potentially harboring a murderer._

 _Who am I to judge?_ He'd killed. He'd lied and hurt people. If Jasper got his way, he'd screw her just to gain entry to her home before disappearing without a trace.

Gritting his teeth, infuriated with himself, he banished all thoughts of her from his mind.

 _Get your head out of the clouds, Campbell. Get it back in the game._

 _It's not my job to protect her feelings, or worry about hurting her. If she still loves her ex._ He'd remind himself of this whenever he found his mind wondering off again.

He came to Higgins for one reason. And It wasn't to become mixed up over Bella Stevens.

He came here to do a job. To use her.

Edward bolstered himself up, felt confident, sure of his course. But, underneath it all, where he refused to look, he feared shoving his feeling's aside, doing his job no matter what, would be easier said than done.

#

Sunlight streaming through the bedroom window, Jessica murmured softly. Little notes of dust dancing through the air, she listened to birds chirping from trees outside.

 _Hideous curtain's_ , she thought. She'd toss them if given a chance. The garish floral design belonged in a grandmother's bedroom, or one of those clichéd cheap bed-and-breakfasts.

Beneath matching bed sheets, James shifted, his talented lips a gentle whisper against her inner thigh. She shuddered when he drifted closer, his tongue finding her finally. Bringing up one hand to squeeze her breast, the other slid down to fist in his hair. The man may be an adulterous drunk, but he sure knew how to use his mouth.

Multiple times he'd mentioned his wife, Vicky, no longer found the sexual side of their marriage appealing. Jessica believed her crazy, or stupid. Sex might possibly be the only thing the man did well.

Jessica mentally shrugged. It didn't matter, she'd be more than willing to help James with his baser needs. Soothe some of his rougher edges while working out a few kinks of her own.

After James hurled her over the edge with his skilled tongue, she lay there.

Feeling like shit.

Jessica scowled. She came here to feel good, for pleasure, so why did she feel lower than dirt?

Flipping James on his back, she returned the favor, humming her approval when he grunted in pleasure. Rough fingers slid into her hair, holding her to him as she took him in her mouth.

James believed his own virility kept him going for hours on end. In reality, Jessica's magic worked, well, magic. She didn't care what kept him hard, or what he believed. As long as he served a purpose, let him believe whatever he liked.

After turning the man beneath her to a begging, quivering mess, she sat back on her heels. Frustration left her restless, on edge, despite hours of physical pleasure.

Clenching her jaw, she raked long fingers through her hair. Nothing she did, or James did to her, eased the guilt she endured since Bella walked through the door last night.

James, the bastard, lay there, a satisfied look on his face. Not a care in the world. He no longer experienced guilt for sleeping with another woman in his marital bed. No, it turned him on. A plus for her. Thanks to it, he rode her hard and well. Yet today, his lack of fear, of remorse, pissed her off because, to her disgust, remorse weighed heavily on her shoulders.

Last night, when she saw with her own eyes how much her sister suffered... Almost a year later, and Bella still hurt over the destruction of her relationship.

 _That's the problem,_ she realized. Her sister suffered because of her.

Unbeknown to Bella, Jessica detested the idea of her twin marrying Jacob. Of moving on with her life. Casually, she questioned her sister about being honest with Jacob, knowing exactly what would happen. Maybe through her gifts or instinct, but she knew he'd reject Bella. He'd never be able to handle the truth, or accept Bella.

Fearing he might prove her wrong, in a weak, selfish moment, Jessica made certain he did.

She knew the cost. Her twin would lose everything she wanted, everything she dreamed of. Still, knowing this, Jessica planted the seed in Bella's mind before standing back and watching it unfold.

She consoled her sister afterwards, of course. Wrapping Bella's spirit in her arms, futile in her attempts to soothe her despair. Heart clenching painfully for the first time, her own eyes burned with tears as her sister collapsed in her adoptive parents living room. The pain of rejection, the loss of her future, too much to bear.

But she'd been able to distance herself from it. Stand back, and watch as Carlisle arrived to "fix" things. Despite her sympathy for her little sister, she was happy. A cold, calculated kind of happiness. With Jacob out of the way, her sister wouldn't get married. Or begin a family of her own, one that didn't include Jessica.

Up until last night, Jessica didn't feel any remorse, or regret. Bella marrying a man, leaving her behind? Unacceptable. Bella said herself last night that Jessica saved her from a doomed marriage.

Yet last night, she witnessed the stark pain in her twin's eyes. Loss, regret, it emanated from her. She missed Jacob, even after all this time. Even after the bastard ploughed through woman after woman, claiming to pine after Bella. Yet, she missed him. Part of her still loved him.

Last night forced Jessica to face the consequences of her actions. While she still didn't regret separating them, she did regret causing her sister torment. Later, sleep evaded her, the image of her sister's teary gaze refusing to fade from her mind. For the first time in her life, Jessica experienced a debilitating feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Guilt.

Impossible. The curse forbade to feel such an emotion. She killed. She lied. She tortured men and women, laughing the entire time.

Her stomach didn't twist, her heart didn't feel like a heavy rock in her chest. Not once did she feel the urge to share her sins with her sister. Yet, since last night, she felt all those things. It robbed her of sleep. It brought her to James's bedroom door moments after Bella left for work. Using him for more than his body today. She used him to distract herself from her confusing, foreign emotions.

 _Time he got to work_ , she thought, straddling his hips, her hands to bringing his body to life. Smirking when his fingers bit into her hips, bringing her down on him. Encouraging her to ride him hard until, desperate, he raced toward his release once more.

Yes, James distracted her from her guilt, her shame. Jessica wouldn't allow anything else.

#

Jessica entered through the back door as Bella came in through the front. Her cheeks flushed, heart pounding in her chest, her body tingled from the orgasm she experienced only minutes ago.

She found the possibility of getting caught deliciously exciting. It's why she let James take her one last time, despite knowing Bella would be home soon. The second time that day she risked getting caught doing something, or someone, she shouldn't.

The first time, when Vicky rang during her session with James. He hissed at her, demanding silence, he answered his wife's daily phone call during her lunch break.

Still restless, despite James screwing her senseless, she grinned. Naked, crawling her way around the bed she kneeled at his feet. Startled, his gaze shot to hers as she wrapped her lips around him.

At first, he attempted to push her away, mouthing at her to stop. She ignored him, working him until he gripped her hair in his fist, so tightly it stung. He came silently, falling back onto the bed. Vicky chatting away on the phone.

He exhibited quite a bit of self-control, only sounding a little breathless. When questioned by his wife, he lied, told her he just returned from his daily run. Bullshit.

James, to her delight, quickly came around to her way of seeing things. Releasing her hair long enough to grab her hand, encouraging her to touch, to pleasure herself. She used her own hand to work her higher, and higher, until he had no choice but to hang up on his wife before she discovered her husband was up to no good.

Later, Jessica squealed in delight, diving onto Bella's sofa. After such a crappy start, the day ended on a high. Playing with her new toy helped ease her guilt. Filled her mind with much more stimulating memories.

Bella rushed in, a beaming smile gracing her lips, all remnants of last night's turmoil gone. Excitement sparkled in her eyes. A dash of nerves there, too, Jessica noted. Understandable. The last time Bella spent time with a man, he'd been her fiancé. Tonight, she'd be with the lock picker.

Ordinarily, Jessica disliked the idea of her sister spending her free time with someone other than her, but despite everything, her guilt refused to go quietly into the night. She wanted her sister happy. If it meant going on a hot date, she'd support her. Push her own needs aside and be there for her twin this time.

She planned to check in, though. Bella liked him, a lot and Jessica didn't want to be the reason for her sister's unhappiness, again. But it didn't mean she trusted him.

"You look a little flushed," Bella commented, sinking down beside her.

"I got bored," she lied. "Thought I'd try out one of your many work out DVDs."

Bella's happy expression dimmed, turning contrite. "I'm so sorry, Jessica. We're finally together, and I'm never here. I'm either at work or about to go on a date. I'm sorry," she apologized, genuine distress in her eyes. "I'll call Edward. Ask if we can go out some other time."

"You can't. You don't have his phone number," Jessica felt compelled to point out.

"Oh." Bella bit her lip. "Then I'll tell him something came up when he gets here. Better yet, I'll call him at the inn. Save him the trip over. Problem solved."

"Problem not solved. Bella, I don't need a babysitter. I don't need you to stop living your life because I'm here. I'm not here to take over your life, but be a part of it. Go on your date," she ordered. "Have fun."

Bella chuffed out a laugh. "Are you sure?"

She'd cancel. Jessica knew, if she asked, Bella would stay. Cancel her date with a man who made her smile, who gave her butterflies, for her sister.

"I'm positive. I don't mind hanging out here while you're at work. It gives me time to track down your invisible cat," she teased.

Bella rolled her eyes. "He's not invisible. He's hiding from you."

"Whatever. Now, stop worrying about me. Get your ass upstairs, and shower. He'll be here soon. I don't think he'd appreciate you stinking of burgers when he does."

Bella frowned, ducking her head to sniff her shirt. "Some men might find that an aphrodisiac."

Jessica chuckled. "No. They won't. Not the men you want to attract, anyway. Now, upstairs, shower and change. Go."

"Fine," Bella sighed. "But I still think he'd find it sexy."

Jessica let out a sigh of relief when her sister pushed to her feet. She wouldn't be the reason her sister lost her chance at happiness. Again.

#

Blowing out an unsteady breath, Bella couldn't recall a time in her life she'd felt this nervous.

Placing the hair dryer on the dresser, she forced herself take a deep breath. To calm the hell down, and enjoy the nerves, excitement, of going on a date with a handsome man.

Bella failed in her attempts miserably.

She'd never been on a date with anyone other than Jacob. Together since she turned thirteen, everything she experienced romantically, sexually, involved Jacob.

She didn't know how to date. Especially a man like Edward.

Edward Campbell, handsome and confident. He made her laugh. Gave her butterflies. Made her feel like a teenager again. She'd never met a man like him.

And he'd be here in thirty minutes.

 _How did this happen?_ she questioned, applying mascara to her long eyelashes. This time last year, she'd just accepted Jacob's proposal of marriage, eager to begin their life together. Now, she stood, getting ready to spend the evening with another man.

 _Am I ready?_ Bella didn't know. She loved Jacob, but if she spent time with Edward, the break up would be official. In her mind, at least.

Jacob began dating after the split, but she didn't. It felt wrong, the idea of being with someone else while she still loved Jacob. Spending time with another man felt like a betrayal to the love she felt for him.

Yet here she stood here, getting ready to go on a date with Edward. _Has the time come?_ she thought. _Am I ready to move on?_ To move on with her life with someone else? To finally end her relationship with Jacob?

 _Put him out of your mind,_ she ordered, applying gloss to her lips. Tonight wasn't about making life-altering decisions, or Jacob. But spending time with a man who made her feel wanted again.

Dressed in a purple, strapless summer dress—thank god for good bras—and three-inch, nude, strappy sandal heels, she took one last look in the mirror. She'd been hesitant to wear the heels, but Jessica assured her they made her legs look fantastic before handing her a clutch to match her shoes.

The doorbell rang. Bella practically jumped out of her skin. With a shaky laugh at her own dramatics, she snatched up her purse, rushing out her room, down the stairs.

Jessica nowhere in sight, she reached for the door. Despite being new to town, they decided her twin should lay low. It only took him saying the wrong thing to the wrong person and the whole town would know of Jessica's identity. The less he, or anyone else, knew about Jessica, the better.

Opening the door, Bella smiled. There he stood in dark jeans. His white button-down shirt standing no chance at concealing his muscular form. Utterly handsome with his neatly combed hair and sweet smile. And downright sexy, she thought, with a heavy five o'clock shadow and mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"You look amazing," he breathed, his eyes roaming over her body. His green gaze holding a heat she swore she could feel through the layer of clothing.

Bella smiled. "Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself." An understatement, in her mind.

"Thank you," he echoed. "Are you ready?"

 _Am I ready?_ she asked herself once again. She looked at the butterfly-inducing man standing before her.

"I am."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N Hi guys, thanks for the reviews and for reading. Watching Rock of Ages with a terrible cold, but loving life. It's such a good movie.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Six**

"Bowling? Your great idea for our first date is bowling?" Bella asked slowly.

Edward grinned, her horrified expression amusing him greatly. "Yeah. I believe the whole 'dinner, movie, dancing' thing is such a cliché," he drawled.

In truth, he'd been on edge all day. The idea of sitting across from her in a candlelit restaurant too good of a picture. Too romantic. Alluring. So he came up with the least romantic thing he could think of.

Bowling.

No woman, no matter how high or low maintenance, wanted wear rented shoes and drink cheap beer in a bowling alley on a first date. A theory Bella's horrified expression confirmed.

"Yeah," she agreed dryly. "They're considered dating clichés, for a reason. It's romantic. Sweet. Not loud, humiliating…mandatory to wear ugly who have been worn by god knows how many stinky feet."

Edward's brow shot up as he asked curiously, "Humiliating?"

Bella pouted. "Bowling is not exactly where my talents lie," she told him primly. "I'm more of an arts and crafts kind of girl. It's where I shine."

Perfect, he decided. If Bella lost, if she didn't enjoy their date, she wouldn't expect a kiss goodnight.

"Then tonight should be fun. For me. Come on," he encouraged, clasping her hand in his, Edward tugged her toward the entrance. "It'll be fun. I promise. We can drink cheap beer, eat junk food, and then we'll play pool."

A smile lit her beautiful face. "I like pool."

"Good. Let the games begin."

#

"This is humiliating. You promised I would have fun," Bella accused after she failed to hit a single pin. Again.

Edward bit his lip, struggling to contain his laughter. She really did suck at bowling. Yet to knock down a single pin, every ball she threw fell into the gutter, and she'd stepped over the foul line twice.

He, as always, played exceedingly well. With his keen eye, powerful throws, he got a strike every time. Bella shot him a dirty look every time he fist pumped the air in triumph.

Since entering the brightly lit bowling alley, the two acted like a couple of kids. Neither one above coughing loudly to throw the other off. Although, it wasn't all that hard to distract Bella. Or even needed half the time. Edward doubted she'd knock down a single pin, never mind win a frame.

"This is fun. For me," he muttered under his breath, making his way to the area known as the approach. Flashing her a smug smile when he got yet another strike.

"Oh, suck it," she snapped.

Tossing his head back, Edward guffawed at her childish retort. "Honey, not on the first date. I'm not a piece of meat."

Rolling her eyes, Bella shoved to her feet, stepping up to choose one of the many gleaming bowling balls. Practically shoving him out of the way once she made her choice. "Sit down," she ordered sternly. "I don't want you to try anything funny. No distracting me."

He obeyed her. Bella closed her eyes, her lips moving slightly. _Probably praying_ , he thought with another rumble of laughter. Deciding to go easy on her, he encouraged, "You can do it, Bella."

"Hush!" She turned on him, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "I will not let you distract me."

Edward held his hands up in mock surrender.

She turned, inhaled deeply, exhaling as if in the middle of a yoga class. With her gaze focussed on the pins at the end of the lane, pins her ball failed to even graze until now, she took a step forward, careful of the foul line. Expression one of fierce determination, Bella hurled the ball down the lane.

To Edward's utter shock, she got a strike. She knocked down every pin. Bella's ear splitting scream of delight caught the attention of the other players.

Everyone turned to look at the stunning brunette squealing joyfully, triumphant, as she spun in a circle. "I did it. I did it." She stopped abruptly, stabbing her finger in his direction. "Suck on that. I did it!"

Edward sat back, patiently waiting for her to get it out of her system. Why did he fool himself into thinking in bringing here he wouldn't want to kiss her?

As Bella did the worst version of 'The Sprinkler' he'd ever seen, Edward admitted, despite himself, he'd found her utterly charming since they arrived. He'd never met anyone so adorable as her. A sore loser, she also tried her best, in vain, to do whatever she could to throw him off his game.

Edward admired her for it.

He liked her smile. Her laughter made him feel all kinds of strange sensations in his chest. He knew better. He should keep his walls tall, and strong, but he found it near impossible to do anything but enjoy her.

Later, Edward vowed, he'd reconstruct those walls. View her as his enemy, and nothing else, put a stop to whatever was happening to him. But, for now, he would enjoy her smile, the flash of her eyes when he irritated her. The way her dress clung lovingly to her breasts...

Yes, he thought, said generous breasts bouncing as she continued her dance. Later.

"Man," she laughed. "I am so happy right now." She clapped her hands excitedly. "Right. Let's go get something to eat."

"We haven't finished the game," he protested.

Shrugging her bare shoulders, she replied, "I know, but I want to end on a high. It's the first time I've got a strike."

"But I'm winning."

Bella dismissed him. "Doesn't matter, buddy. I want to eat. I want to celebrate."

Edward blinked. Competitive by nature, every cell in his body scream in protest at walking away from a sure win.

"But I'm winning," he repeated. "How is that ending on a high?"

"It just is. For me." Bella strolled past him, her hips swaying just enough to distract him. "Come on," she called over her shoulder.

Dammit, he followed.

Ten minutes later, with a table overfilled with fries, burgers and milkshakes, Bella rested her elbows on the edge of the table and leaned close. To his discomfort, the questions began.

"So, what brought you to Higgins? You said you were visiting, right?" she asked, shoving three fries into her mouth.

Edward's delight in watching her devour her food, vanished. He didn't want her to ask her questions. He could only respond with lies. Plus, he'd given himself one night. One night, not as a Warrior, but a man, and then he'd get his shit together.

 _That's stupid,_ the logical side of him spoke up. A night to live a ridiculous fantasy? He shouldn't need a night, or even a moment. His orders were to use her, to spy on her. Not date her.

Edward wished he only viewed her as a suspect, a mark. Nothing more. It would make his life a hell of a lot easier. But until then, he'd see it through. Be smart, disciplined, keep himself in check.

Thinking on his feet, Edward came up with a plausible, if a little vague, story. One to gain her sympathy, and her respect.

Respect he didn't deserve.

Edward bit back a curse. When he returned home, he'd make an appointment to see a shrink. A good one. Someone needed to fix his head. Pronto.

"I'd just gotten out of the army," he lied. He assumed right. Respect warmed her eyes when she discovered the man sitting across from her fought, sacrificed, to protect his country.

"You're a soldier. Is it as terrifying as I think?"

"Yes," he agreed. "But the army is in my blood. My dad was in the forces, his before that. It's a kind of tradition in my family." Not a lie this time. At least, not entirely. "Growing up, I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I excelled at it. I made a good soldier. But when I came home, I didn't really know what to do with myself. So, I took a trip. I wanted to see the country I'd fought to protect."

"That's amazing," she murmured. "What made you stop here?"

"Ran out of gas," he quipped.

Wanting to take the spot light off him, to place it on her, he stated, "That's about it. I like it here. Nice town. Nice people," he winked.

"Do you plan on staying?" she asked somewhat timidly.

Edward felt like a prick.

"Yeah. Angus likes it here. How about you? What's your story?"

Her gaze flickered from his. She'd lie to him. Lie about her past the way he lied about his.

He didn't like it. Edward didn't understand why. He'd just lied to her face, would continue to do so. So why did the idea of her returning his lies offend him?

Shaking it off, he waited for her to speak.

"Well, I've always lived in here. I did okay in school, but felt no desire to attend college. I got a job at the clinic a couple of years out of high school, and I'm happy there. I like my job, but it doesn't pay enough, so I got a part time job at the diner. Another job I like," she added, toying with her straw.

"You're lucky. Not many people do. Never mind when they're holding down two at the same time."

Bella shrugged. Something she did often, he noticed. "I'm happy."

"Your parents?" he prompted casually. "I heard from the _many_ gossips they don't live here anymore."

Her lips curving in a sad smile, she said, "They don't. I miss them."

"What are they like?"

Love shone in her eyes as she spoke of her parent's. "They are amazing. My mom is obsessed with gardening, which she passed down to me. Though I will admit, I hate cutting the grass," she whispered as if sharing a terrible secret. "I have terrible upper body strength."

"How about your dad?"

"My dad," she began warmly, her face glowing. "He's the best. He's one of those dads who will get up at dawn to go to work, then, after a long day he'll still get down on the floor and play with his little girl. He's good, kind. He listens. A wonderful quality in a person. When you talk to him, whether it be about the latest episode of your television show or your deepest, darkest secret, he looks you straight in your eyes, and you know he's taking in every word."

"You're a daddy's girl," he teased.

"Yes," she agreed proudly. "But don't tell my mom."

"Your secrets safe with me," he promised, green eyes intent on hers.

The two sat, gazes locked. The atmosphere around them shifting, heightening until everything else disappeared. The noisy background quieted. Bella crowded his vision, dominated his thoughts. From the dreamy look in her eyes, he wondered if she felt the same.

Edward felt strange. Vulnerable. He didn't like it, but he couldn't stop it. He didn't know if he wanted to.

He'd never felt so terrified as he did in this very moment. Sitting across a woman so wrong for him, a woman forbidden to him, part of him wishing for this night to be real.

 _What's happening to me?_ Warriors didn't wish for more. When it came to the opposite sex '

they were used for sex, for breeding, or for battle. Nothing more.

In all his years, he'd never heard of a Warrior wanting more than a roll across the sheets. Women were used to breed with and continue a male's family name. The few who did marry had an agreement of sorts. The male got a son, a woman to share his bed when he felt like it, and the female got taken care of for the rest of her days.

Warriors didn't go on dates. They didn't spend time with a woman they had no intention of nailing later.

Yet, here he sat, doing both of those things.

Bella blinked. The moment over. Leaving him breathless, asking himself what the hell just happened. Why she looked at him as if seeing him, not the persona? And liking what she saw.

"So," she began a tad breathlessly. "Pool?"

#

A little unnerved, Edward lead her over to the row of pool tables and began racking up the balls.

She looked fine, he noticed, as Bella fiddled with a pool cue. As if the moment they shared, the sparks flying between them, didn't happen. _Well, if she wants to act as if it didn't happen, I will too._ He'd put it aside and enjoy the rest of their evening.

Edward refused to go easy on her. He would show her no mercy. Lining up his shot, pool cue shooting out like lightening, the ball a blur as it rolled across the table.

Bella played well. He didn't know about arts and crafts, but she showed more talent with a pool cue than a bowling ball.

While she pocketed most of her balls, Edward remained confident in his victory. Over a hundred years old, he'd played the game longer than she'd been alive. If he wanted, he could pot every ball, eyes closed. Bella, bless her heart, didn't stand a chance.

But he sure enjoyed watching her try. Enjoyed the glimpse of her breasts, a wonderful temptation, when she leaned forward, pressing her soft mounds against the pool table. Her pale, ample flesh made his mouth water. He swallowed hard, averting his gaze out of self-preservation.

Mischief sparkling in her eyes, Edward knew she knew exactly what her antics did to him.

Sashaying to the opposite side of the table as Edward prepared to pot the black ball and win, Bella rested her elbows against the edge. Giving him an eyeful of her succulent cleavage. The woman, apparently shameless, appeared willing use whatever tactic's necessary to win.

Edward wished it didn't turn him on. That he didn't admire her for it.

Before his eyes, she tugged her dress a little lower, revealing more of her soft skin. He noted the beauty mark on the rise of her left breast with a loud gulp. Edward gawped, wondering if they tasted as delicious as he imagined. If they were as soft as they appeared.

 _She's playing you, jackass._

Edward jerked his eyes back to her face. "What are you doing?"

Laughing in the face of his disapproval, Bella admitted, "I read it in a book once."

"Did it work?"

Her smile sultry, she asked, "The real question is; will it work?"

Edward returned her smile with an arrogant smirk, his gaze holding hers, he potted the black ball.

Bella shot up straight, pouting her full lips. "That's not nice."

He shrugged a powerful shoulder carelessly. "Neither is you using your body to distract me. What's the name of this book you read? Maybe you should get in touch with the author. Let her know it's bullshit."

She narrowed her eyes. "Fine. I'll just have to work that much harder to distract you."

A glint in her eyes, she sauntered over to the pool table closest to them. A pool table occupied by big, menacing looking bikers. He'd kept an eye on them since they began their game. Most patrons, wary of the loud, intimidating men, avoided them.

If he were human, or a pussy, he might avoid them, too. Edward merely tensed. Bella might not be his to lust after, but no way in hell would he stand idly by while she got hurt, or even offended, if her little stunt didn't end well.

Bella chose the biggest, heavily tattooed male of the bunch, tapping him lightly on the shoulder. "Excuse me, sir?"

The male turn, slowly lowering his head to see a stunning woman standing before him.

"Yes?"

"Can I just ask you one little question?" He nodded, his friends crowding closer to listen in. "Great. But be honest, don't worry about hurting my feelings. Would the sight of me," she gestured to her generous curves, "bent over a pool table, distract you from taking your shot?" Bella asked soberly.

The men roared with laughter. Obviously, unable to believe this sweet, beautiful woman approached a complete stranger and tapped him on the shoulder in the first place, never mind asking such a question. The male, on the other hand, took a sip of his beer, his eyes taking in every inch of the woman standing confidently in front of him.

"Darlin'," he drawled. "You'd distract me from anything."

"Thank you." Bella's expression delighted, and a tad smug, she informed Edward in a loud whisper, "I think there's something wrong with you."

The group of men continued to laugh rowdily and began ribbing him. Edward shook his head. Shocked at her actions. Charmed by her.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to visit the ladies room."

He nodded. "Of course. I'll get us some drinks."

His eyes zeroing in on her round ass, Edward watched her walk away, thinking he'd never met anyone like her. Sassy, funny, brave, he listed, remembering how most of the patrons avoided the intimidating group. Bella, on the other hand, walked straight up to them without faltering.

What she didn't realise, and he hoped she never did, is she did distract him. From something much greater than a game of pool. For his own safety, his sanity, he needed to nip it in the bud before, like the tattooed biker, she could distract him from anything.

Retrieving their drinks from the bar, Edward made his way back to their pool table. Waiting for his date to return.

Finally, he spotted her heading towards him. The biker guy stopping her before she could reach the table. Edward watched through narrowed eyes as she giggled, accepting a beer mat from him before strolling over to him.

"You want to fill me in?"

Bella dropped onto the seat next to him. "He gave me his phone number."

#

Pulling up outside Bella's house, Edward was reluctant to part with her.

"I had a nice time," she told him quietly.

"Did you think you wouldn't?"

Her cheeks warmed the prettiest shade of pink. "No, but it's not what you think."

"Okay. Can I see you again?" he asked, hating himself because he asked two reasons.

The first, because of his assignment. He still needed to gain entry inside her house, which meant becoming further involved in her life.

The second, because, foolishly, he wanted to see her again.

Bella nodded. A shy smile tugging her lips.

Biting the inside of his cheek, Edward fought the urge to lean forward, press a kiss to lose lush lips. Something any man would do after a date like theirs. He knew she expected him to make a move.

He'd dreaded this moment since he asked her out. The kiss goodnight. She wanted it, he wanted it too. But he couldn't. He wasn't Mike. He'd never sink as low as seducing a woman like her, abusing her trust even further.

He refused.

He wanted her. To kiss those soft lips. Pull her close and taste her. He wanted it more than he wanted to breathe. Foolish, Edward admonished his wayward thoughts. No matter what his body craved, his stupid feelings encouraged him to do-hold her close and kiss her senseless-his head must win this battle.

The silence lengthened until no longer comfortable, welcome, but cold. Awkward. Edward knew the moment she accepted she'd receive no goodnight kiss.

Her cheeks turning scarlet, disappointment darkened her eyes. Worse, doubt. He could practically hear the wheels turning in her head. Did he want to see her again? Didn't he enjoy himself as much as she did?

Dammit, he couldn't give her the answers she so obviously needed. The reassurance. If only they were two normal people at the end of a first date. He'd have her body flush against his, his mouth on hers, until, breathless, she begged him for more. He'd happily give it to her.

Bella straightened her shoulders, the overly bright smile she gave him clearly false. "Good night."

Without another word, she slid from the car, hurrying down her path. Her back stiff, she didn't turn back, or offer him the dreamy smile she wore most of the night.

"Dammit," he hissed. Calling himself every kind of fool, he threw the car door open, rushing after her.

"Bella," he called out, jogging up the path.

Keys in the door, she froze. "What is it?" she asked, turning to face him. Her brow pinched in confusion, her cheeks still hot with embarrassment.

Edward stood there, knowing he couldn't give her what they both wanted. But he could give her something. Not because of his job, or to get into her house. But for her and the perfect night they shared.

"I had a good time, too." Leaning forward, he placed a small kiss on her cheek.

All too soon, he pulled back, despite his desire to linger. He grinned down at her bemused expression. "I'll call you tomorrow," he promised, starting down the path, back to his car.

Lifting his hand in a small wave, Edward pulled off. Leaving her standing there looking after him.

#

Closing the door behind her, Bella replayed the last few seconds in her mind.

"What the hell?"

"What the hell, what?" Jessica asked from her spot at the top of the stairs. Her favorite spot in the house, it appeared.

"He kissed me."

Her sister smirked. "Yeah? It tends to happen on a date. Besides, of course he kissed you. You're a catch."

Shaking her head, Bella explained, "He kissed me on the cheek."

"Romantic."

She shook her head. "No. No, it's not. If he brought my hand to his lips, or at least lingered around a little when he kissed me, then yeah, I'd call it romantic. But, he didn't linger. The kiss on my cheek feel romantic. It felt more along the lines of 'see you next week, grandma'. It's not funny," she protested when her sister threw her head back, her body shaking with the force of her laughter.

Sobering, Jessica patted the step she sat on in invitation. "You're right. I'm sorry. Tell me everything."

Dropping down next to her, Bella shared every detail of the date with her twin. Giggling at the memory of his expression at the pool table. He made the shot, but his eyes were glued to her chest while he did it.

"Wow. I've been lead to believe you're the innocent one. Pure" she remarked.

Bella shot her a dirty look. "I am. Anyway, I'm sitting there, waiting for him to lean over, to kiss me and… nothing. He just sat there. I feel like a such an idiot."

"Why?"

"Because I made it so obvious I wanted him to kiss me," she burst out. Her cheeks flooding as she remembered the moment he sat back, apologetic expression on his face.

Oh, the humiliation.

"I just don't get it," she confided to her sister. "I may not have much experience with men, but I know we shared something special. I've never been on a date like this one. A wonderful, fun date. I didn't want it to end. I thought, stupidly, he felt the same way." Looking into her sisters eyes, she murmured, "Why didn't he kiss me?"

"He did kiss you."

"A pity kiss on the cheek does not count, Jessica. He's not going to call," she muttered.

"You're blowing this out of proportion."

"I am not," she denied firmly. "Have you ever had a guy kiss you on the cheek after a date?"

"I don't go out on dates."

"Then what do you do with a guy you like?"

"I don't 'like' men."

Bella huffed. "Okay. What do you do with a guy you're attracted to?"

Jessica gave her a pointed look. Bella winced. "Ew. That's gross."

"You asked. Anyway, back to you. He kissed you on the cheek? Big deal. He still kissed you. Some women would love a romantic kiss on the cheek at the end of a date. It is romantic," she insisted sharply before when her sister opened her mouth to protest. "Bella, if he said he'll call, he will."

"Even if he does, I'm not picking up."

"Why not?" Jessica demanded.

"I'm embarrassed. I made such an ass of myself." She bit her lip. "He kissed me on the cheek the way I kiss my grandma," she muttered. "That's weird, right?"

"No. Why is it weird? I think it's kind of sweet."

"How is it sweet?"

"He must want to take things slow. Which is rare these days. If you get your head out of your ass for two seconds, you'll see it's also incredibly romantic. What's wrong with wanting to take thing's slow? Maybe he wants to get to know you first. It's a good thing."

"Maybe. But… there's something there. I know there is. I can feel it. I spent the entire evening with him. He doesn't seem like the 'take it slow' kind of guy. He seems more like a 'throw you against the wall, takes what he wants' kind of guy. But not in a horrifying sexual assault kind of way. But in a sexy, hot way. It's why the kiss on the cheek threw me so much."

"Throw you up against the wall?" Jessica drawled. "Sounds like my kind of man."

Despite her confusion, Bella chuckled at her sister's words. "He is. He's good looking, confident, fun. Sexy. Totally your type. I never saw myself with a man like him. I thought the only man I'd ever want is Jacob. I never dreamed of this. Wanting another man to kiss me, but I did. I wanted him to kiss me, so badly. Why didn't he?"

"I don't know. I think the only way to find out is if you ask him. If not, go on another date, see if he kisses you then."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Yeah, if he even calls me. Which I seriously doubt."

"He will."

"How can you be so sure?"

Jessica grimaced. "I looked in on the two of you a time or two. Just to make sure you were okay," she added hastily.

"You've got to stop doing that," Bella replied without any real heat.

"I know. I will. I saw the way he looked at you, little sister. I saw fire in his eyes. He wants you. Trust me, he's going to call." She winked. "My question is; why didn't you kiss him?"

Bella blushed. "I'm new to this, Jess. The only person I've ever kissed is Jake. I don't know how to do this with someone else."

"That's not true," Jessica objected. "I saw you tonight. Confident. A little flirtatious. You do know how to do this."

"I can flirt. I flirt all the time for tips in the diner. But the confidence to lean in, put myself out there and make the first move? I'm not there yet. Which I should be grateful for because, obviously, my kiss wouldn't be welcome."

"You don't know that."

 _Doubtful,_ Bella thought. "I'm going to bed." Pressing a kiss to Jessica's cheek, she pushed to her feet, shoulders slumped as she walked to her bedroom. After kicking off her heels, thank god, she stripped, replacing her dress with an oversized t-shirt.

Climbing under the sheets, she lay there, replaying the night over again. Could she be blowing this out of proportion? Maybe he really did just want to take things slowly.

Bella believed herself unable, somewhat unwilling, to move on from Jacob. Now she lay in the dark, wondering why he didn't make a move. Worrying he didn't want her the way she wanted him.

Potentially ruining things by over thinking a kiss on the cheek, she added wryly.

A shame, because she had the best time with Edward. She didn't want to ruin things because he didn't act the way she expected him to.

Jumping up when her phone vibrated against the bed side table, Clare Dunn singing about how her man didn't need a tuxedo, Bella rushed to answer her phone.

"Hello?" she answered.

"It's me."

"Edward." They swapped numbers over junk food before starting their first game of pool. "Is everything okay?"

Bella could hear the smile in his husky voice. "Everything's fine," he replied. "I called to ask if you wanted to see a movie tomorrow night. Maybe try out the clichéd version of a date this time."

Relief coursed through her. He did want to see her again. "I'd like that. I'm working until six, but after that I'm free."

"Good. I'll pick up around seven. Goodnight, Bella."

"Goodnight."

Placing the phone back on the night stand, she wore the biggest grin. A second date. She'd blown everything out of proportion, just like Jessica insisted. Her cheek's flaming in the darkness, she remembered how dramatic she'd been down stairs. Worrying over a kiss on the cheek.

Edward didn't seem the type of man who lied to a woman. He wouldn't ask her out again unless he wanted to spend time with her.

Closing her eyes, Jessica's voice popped into her mind.

 _I told you so._

Bella made a face. Her sister could be smug at times.

 _I heard that._

#

Ending the call, Edward fell back onto the bed with a groan. Angus, unaware of his master's turmoil, scrambled across the sheets, lapping his jaw enthusiastically.

"Settle down," he ordered gently, reaching up to scratch the puppy's ear.

He hadn't planned on calling her. During the drive back to his room, he decided he wouldn't see her again. He felt like a complete tool for the lies he told.

A moronic reaction, he knew.

Bella, no matter how much he liked her, is the sister of the woman who ruthlessly murdered his brother. The only thing he should feel toward her is contempt.

Yet…

When he thought of Bella, he developed this warm, sugary sensation in his chest. His stomach clenched when he thought of her outrageous actions later. The sight of her bent over the pool table, breasts inviting him to touch, to taste. The memory enough to send him into cardiac arrest.

Edward grunted in displeasure. No matter how hard he tried, his mind, his stupid fucking heart, refused to view her as his enemy. On their date, he'd been a man, not a Warrior. He'd lost perspective. So, on the short drive home, he decided to take a step back. Take some time. Put a little distance between them.

At least until the sight of her sitting there, waiting for his kiss, no longer caused his heart to do foolish things. Such as racing, thudding, or leaping out of his chest like a cartoon character.

Five to ten years ought to do it.

Then as he pulled up, decision made, Emmett called.

"Have you gotten inside the house yet?" His commander enquired without preamble.

Edward usually demanded a greeting, but his gaffer sounded on edge. "No. The house is still warded; I can't get in until she invites me. At least, that's what the witches believe."

"Then get inside the house," he snapped.

Gritting his teeth, he reminded him, "I need an invitation, Emmett."

"Then get one. We've got dick on our side. We need to find something because every time anyone says they've found nothing, my blood pressure rises. I want this bitch found. You need to move faster. If she's with the sister, I want to know."

"I've just left her," he defended himself. A twinge of guilt forming in the pit of his stomach. Yes, he just left her, determined to keep his distance. Forgoing a goodnight kiss, which might have led to an invitation inside.

Edward didn't want to toot his own horn, but he didn't find getting a woman into bed all that difficult. If he wanted, he could easily seduce Bella. Be in her house right now instead of spending the night alone.

He'd seduced women to further his own needs in the past. Why couldn't he bring himself to do so with her?

"I don't care," Emmett snarled, snapping Edward out of his musings. "Call her. Go out again. Find a way of getting in her house, or seduce the woman into asking you in. I don't care, just do it. I want results, Campbell."

"Yes, sir."

Upon entering his room, after checking on Angus, he did as he ordered. Feeling like an utter bastard the entire time.

Despite everything, his gut said Bella Steven's didn't deserved this. She didn't deserve him to use her this way. It's why he found the case so difficult, when it should be a walk in the park.

Maybe it would be easier if she wasn't so beautiful, he thought, picturing her face. Long dark, wide brown eyes. And a body he wanted to worship. But beautiful women were everywhere. He'd met, and bedded, hundreds of them, but he didn't care about them. Or even like most of them. They served a purpose. A hot body for a horny man.

He _liked_ Bella Stevens, Edward admitted to himself shamefully. It's the reason he found it so damned hard to remember why he came to Higgins in the first place. He liked her from the moment he met her outside her house, he just didn't want to admit to himself. But since meeting her, the lines blurred

Insane, he knew. Known amongst his people for his abilities, for his control, yet one woman, his enemy, might destroy it all.

Knowing what he needed to do, hating himself for it, he called her. Feeling lower than dirt when he heard the relief in her voice when he asked to see her again.

She shouldn't be.

For what felt like the tenth time tonight, he debated with himself about calling Emmett, sending someone else to take over. At least until they found the witch. When he could come back as a man, not a Warrior. But, again, for what felt like the tenth time tonight, he decided against it.

Edward didn't trust her with them. His brothers, like him before all this mess started, would do whatever necessary to get in her house. They'd lie, manipulate, seduce, or even harm her, simply to look for clues. They'd take advantage of her, some unwilling to keep their hands to themselves.

Laughable, considering he didn't trust himself to keep his hands off her, either.

With anyone else, he'd be in that house, in her bed if necessary, by now. The house searched, bugged, he'd hang out in his room until they found the witch or the witch found them.

He'd never felt so confused. Torn between his duties and what he desired for himself.

Ashamed of his forbidden fantasies, he wanted to hide from them. He didn't want to admit he liked the sister of his enemy. The sister of the woman who slaughtered his brother.

 _You're playing with fire,_ he warned himself. What worried Edward most, he didn't know what he'd do when, inevitably, he got burned.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

 _Something's wrong_.

Tonight was their fifth date. Edward brought her to a local bar for drinks, and maybe a little dancing. Right. Since arriving, they'd sat in awkward silence. All around them couples, young and old, danced, drank and laughed. They kissed, flirted, leaning close to be heard over the pounding music.

And Bella sat across from her date, him quietly nursing a beer, while she wondered what happened to the funny, charming, cocky guy she liked so much.

One of the few bars in town, some people declared it run-down, but Bella liked it. In this very bar, she took her first sip of beer, grimacing at the taste and ordering a cocktail. Sticky floors, and a scarred mahogany bar in desperate need of a little tender loving care, but none of it mattered to the people who packed the place night after night. They didn't care if they sat in marked, split, leather booths. They came for fun. For noise, music, dancing. For cheap beer. Bella didn't need much more than that.

Except, perhaps, a little conversation.

Sipping her Blue Lagoon cocktail, her foot tapping along to one of her favorite country artist's, from beneath her lashes she examined her date. He sat, silently staring down at his beer. He didn't talk or tap along to the music. For all she knew, he bitterly regretted inviting her here.

 _So why bother asking me?_

Bella's earlier happiness from his call died an ugly death three dates back. He'd changed and she didn't know why. She started to believe she'd been right about her fears. He didn't like her the way she liked him. His cool, almost aloof behavior proved that. _Maybe_ , she worried, _he's just lonely._

Date number five, and still no kiss. Further proof of her earlier concern's. Only now, she didn't even receive a lame kiss on the cheek. Day by day, for whatever reason, he grew quieter. Distant. They'd gone to movies, dinner, to the theatre to watch a play. As the seconds ticked by, she could almost feel him pulling away for her. She didn't understand why.

Bella also didn't understand why he called to make plans the next day. Or why she accepted when he did.

Jessica offered to check up on him. Sneak into his room, use her superior magical abilities to figure him out, but Bella refused. No matter what, she didn't want her sister messing around with his head. Or interfering with their relationship.

Jessica accepted her decision and, grudgingly, promised to keep out of it. To keep her distance when it came to Edward. And while her sister encouraged their relationship at first, she now strongly recommended dumping his ass.

Bella didn't want to dump him. She liked him. Or rather, she liked the man from the bowling alley. She missed him, as crazy as it sounded.

She didn't, however, miss the quiet, brooding man sitting opposite her. A man she'd seen too much of over the last few days.

Studying him as he studied his glass bottle, she wondered what happened. What changed. Would the fun, sexy guy from the bowling alley return? Or should she take Jessica's advice and cut bait now?

Bella didn't want to cut bait. She wanted the man who asked her out to show his face. She'd only known him a short while, but she felt something. A connection she didn't want to give up on. Not yet. Trying again, she pasted an overly bright smile, asking him, "Do you want to dance?"

Edward's green gaze lifted to hers. He shook his head. "I don't really dance."

Her expression fell. "Okay," she muttered, bringing her glass to her lips, swallowing the rest of her cocktail in one gulp. _If this is how we spend the rest of the night_ , she thought, _I'm going to need a lot more alcohol._

 _Dump his ass,_ Jessica ordered inside her mind.

Bella jumped in her seat at her sister's sudden appearance. Her eyes flying to her date, worried he'd noticed her reaction. Luckily for her, his beer fascinated him too much to notice her. _I thought I told you to stop spying on me. You promised._

Jessica scoffed _. No. I promised I wouldn't interfere with Edward. That I'd keep my distance, and I will. However, I never promised to stop spying. I'd never do that. I say you reach over, grab the bottle, and shove it up his ass_.

Trying to resist shaking her head at her sister's advice, Bella spotted a few of her friends from high school on the small dance floor. Smiling when they spotted her. Her old friends waved her over, inviting her to join them.

On any other day, she'd be up, dancing her heart out, but she couldn't leave Edward sitting here, alone. She may not have a lot of experience in the dating world but assumed it rude to abandon her date. Not that he'd notice.

Jessica scoffed again. _And it's not rude for him to sit there, pouting, while his date is bored out of her mind? You love to dance, Bella. Get out there._

 _I can't ditch him to go dance with my friends_ , she protested.

 _Why not? Bella, honey, I hate to say this, but it's not like he's going to miss you. He's acting as if you're not here. What are you supposed to do for the next couple of hours? Sit quietly twiddling your thumbs? No. Screw him. Get out there and enjoy yourself. Stop wasting your time on a guy who is ignoring you,_ Jessica ordered.

Bella didn't want to admit it, but her sister spoke the truth. He didn't care she sat here, bored, uncomfortable. Wracking her brains, trying to figure out happened for him to change. They'd only gone out five times. It shouldn't be this difficult, not this early in a relationship.

When her favourite song boomed from the speakers, it made her mind up for her. Bella liked Edward, she did, but he wasn't worth sitting here miserable over.

"Sorry, dude," she said. She reached over, patting him twice on his impressive bicep.

His brow furrowed. "What?"

Waving her hand dismissively, Bella pushed to her feet, hurrying to join her friends on the dance floor. Her friends cheered, pulling her into warm embraces. _At least someone's happy to see me_ , she thought, throwing her arms in the air, her body moving to the beat.

Bella began to feel lighter as she danced with her friends. She pushed aside her worries involving Edward, and their lack of a future together. She put everything aside, simply enjoying the music.

When the next song began to play, Bella laughed breathlessly. Rod Stewart's cover of _Twistin' The Night Away._ Shaking her hips to the beat, memories of happier times warmed her heart.

Bella spotted Jacob making his way through the crowd, coming to a halt in front of her. She noticed him enter the bar earlier. It shocked her to realize she didn't feel any shame or guilt for being here with another man. Or hurt her to see him with another woman.

Grinning, he yelled over the music. "I saw you dancing. I asked the DJ for a favour."

"Jacob," she began hesitantly. "What about your date? What about mine?" Not that her date would notice. He would need to pay the slightest bit of attention to her for that to happen.

He stood, handsome and wholesome, in the middle of the dance floor, acting as if their friends weren't watching them closely. "Bella, I'm not here to upset you. Or the people we came with. I know we're over. I just wanted to ask you to dance. As friends. I miss my friend."

"I do, too." More than a fiancé, or a boyfriend, she missed the friendship they once shared. They could never be together, a secret so big would destroy a marriage, but they could be friends.

"Besides," he added, "this is still our song."

"It is," she agreed. "Winter talent show, junior year. I still say they cheated us out of that trophy."

Laughter danced in his dark eyes. "You said it many, many times that night, too. So, how about it?" He held out his large hand, his eyes steady, waiting for her to make her decision.

"Why not? It's our song, after all," she replied, placing her hand in his.

#

Fist clenching around the glass bottle, Edward half expected it to shatter beneath his punishing grip.

Biting the inside of his cheek until he tasted blood, Edward a red haze clouded his vision when he realized who spun Bella around the dance floor. Jacob. Her ex-fiancé. Jealousy consuming him, his narrowed eyes glued on her as she whirled back into his goddamn arms. Edward didn't want the deputy's paws on her. Any man's. The desire to kill the little prick spiked through him when the bastard dipped the woman supposedly on a date with him.

A woman who, finally, ditched him.

Edward didn't blame her. He hadn't been the most attentive companion during their last couple of dates. With each passing day, the inner war he fought became more like a losing battle. Pressure increasing from his commander, his brothers, to gain entry in to her home. He made excuses as to why he'd failed in his attempts, but in truth, he didn't want to use her any more than he already had. He'd messed with her head enough.

After the way he acted tonight, why shouldn't a woman like her, able to get any man she desired, look elsewhere for company? It just pissed him off that her idea of company meant her ex-fiancé spinning her around the dance floor like they were Fred and fucking Ginger.

Or how good they looked together.

 _Damn, she's beautiful,_ he inwardly sighed, his sharp eyes taking in every inch of her. Even in the arms of another, he'd never seen anything more beautiful. The green dress she wore flared as she spun, the flash of her pale shapely legs causing him to swallow. Hard.

She probably hated him. He'd been as surprised she accepted his invitation as she sounded when he called to ask her out. Again. His actions confused her. Every so often, she'd give him this look, as if searching for the man she'd met on rainy afternoon.

The curse, he assumed, was the reason behind why she offered him chance after chance. Something in his favour, he supposed. Any other woman would've told him to go fuck himself by now. Part of him wished she did, hoped she'd reject him so the inner battle he fought could finally come to an end.

Luckily for him, Bella appeared unable to summon such anger. Instead, she gave him another chance to return to the man who teased her in the bowling alley, who kicked her ass at pool. And with every passing day, much to his discomfort, his shame, he came to like her a little bit more.

Genuinely kind, Bella liked people. She cared about them. She also made Edward laugh, even when he didn't want to. She walked with grace, smelled like sweet honey, and her smile did thing's to him a man like him couldn't begin to describe.

Edward stupidly hoped his attraction to her body, to her, would lessen with time. He'd been wrong to hope. Every moment with her he discovered something else he liked. Admired. Whether it be her abysmal taste in movies, or the passion in her voice as she explained why she thought roses are overrated.

On the outside, he appeared disinterested. Inside, nothing could be further from the truth. Edward didn't recognise the man he'd become since meeting her. No matter how hard he tried inside, where no one saw, her vivacious personality drew him like a moth to a flame.

She'd never guess it. Bella must be under the impression he suffered from a personality disorder. Either way, she no longer gazed into his eyes, silently giving him permission to make his move. She no longer expected a pathetic kiss on the cheek. Instead, she walked away, while he sat in his car, feeling like an asshole as he watched her leave.

A nice woman like Bella deserved the truth. He wished he could share it with her. Where to begin explaining the reasons behind his change? Explain to her he'd been at war with himself since moment he met her? Torn between his responsibilities, his duties, as a Warrior, and what he felt for her as a man.

Impossible. She'd walk away if she knew the truth. Run from him. He'd lose any chance of discovering if her twin hid within the warded house.

Edward would be forced to watch the only woman he'd ever felt something for walk away from him.

 _How is this fair?_ he silently demanded.

Edward spent his entire life without caring for a single person beside his brothers. As a Warrior, he didn't experience love, not when it came to women. His people were raised to protect, to battle wars, not settle down with a loving woman and a white picket fence. He'd grown up with the knowledge that he would never find a woman caught his attention, his heart, long enough for them to matter. He never felt such an instant spark with a single female.

Now, to his utter shock, he did. He cared for Bella. Covering his face with his hands, Edward could no longer hid from the truth. Despite only knowing her for a short time, he liked her. He liked her smile. Her laugh. He wanted to be the man who made her laugh, he added, just in time to see the deputy spin her back into his arms. The two giggling like teenagers when they came together. He wanted that. Wanted her to sing the lyrics of Sam Cooke to him as she wiggled that sexy body of hers.

Yet it couldn't be him. Edward accepted this, his heart heavy with despair. _How is it fair?_ he thought again. He didn't know what hell was happening to him, but he'd finally found a woman he wanted, and he could never have her.

 _Why can't I?_ He sat up straight, hope overshadowing confliction in his green eyes. His mind working in overtime, leading him to the answer he yearned for. Edward Campbell. Infamous Warrior of the Bràthaireil. Some spoke his name in a reverent whisper, he earned respect of admiration of his peers, his leader, thanks to his skill, his courage, and his determination. Edward went after his enemy with single minded determination. He didn't stop until he got his man.

Why stop until he got his woman?

Edward didn't know what the future held, but he felt so confused, so torn up inside, for a reason. He didn't know why, but she'd meant something to him since the moment he clapped eyes on her in the rain, what little clothing she wore plastered against her body. Despite his training, his experience, his own moral code, he wanted her. Wanted to see where thing's might lead between them given the chance.

He'd denied it, resisted it, all to no avail. Then again, could a man truly fight against something when, deep down, he wanted to lose?

Day by day, date by date, she reeled him without even trying. Until he no longer wanted to fight against it.

 _And if she's hiding her sister?_ his practical side challenged. _What then?_

Edward scowled. _I'll work it out_. The bitch wouldn't walk free after the pain and suffering she caused, the lives she stole, but he'd deal with it if the time came. He'd been in bigger messes than this before, and he always came out on top. He figured out a way to deal with the situation, get the results he desired. Right now, he wanted Bella. Wanted to explore the feelings she brought out in him.

It might all blow up in his face. Bella might not be the woman for him, his feelings most likely fading with time, but he'd regret it deeply if he did nothing. If, for the first time in his life, he ran from something because it looked difficult. He'd rather face the problem, fight it, and regret the outcome, than become a coward.

 _I'll find a way_ , he vowed. Deal with the witch then explore his growing connection with Bella.

Hell, for all he knew, she didn't feel the same. The emotions she created in him could potentially be one sided. But at least he'd know. If nothing came out of this but regret, he'd be able to live with it, head held high.

The weight of the struggle he'd lived with for days, gradually lifted. It felt great to finally admit it. To think of her, what he felt around her, without shame quick on its heels.

Edward grinned. He'd won the war. His next course of action decided, he felt great. He felt like himself again. Not the whiny little bitch he'd become since their first date.

 _I'm Edward Campbell. Warrior. A man who faces life head on. It's damn time I started acting like it._

A slow song drifted from the speakers. The deputy pulled Edward's woman, yes, his woman, to him, wrapping his arms around her waist. Edward shot to his feet. It's time to start acting like a man again. His first step, getting the deputy's paws off his girl.

Sharp eyes zeroing in on his dark haired beauty, Edward pushed through the crowd. Ignoring the protests, an invitation or two, he strode toward the only woman he wanted to dance with, purpose in his every step.

Stepping up behind Bella, he waited for the deputy's gaze to meet his. The man's dark eyes widening, probably at the blatant animosity, the violence, in Edward's demeanour.

Not wanting to frighten Bella, Edward kept his voice soft, friendly. "Mind if I cut in?" Not a request, and both men knew it.

Bella spun to face him, her eyes widened in surprise before schooling her features into one of disinterest.

"You said you didn't dance," she replied accusingly.

He grinned. The boyish grin she liked, he knew, using it shamelessly to break down her defences. He didn't feel like shit for it, either. He upset her, perhaps even hurt her, so he'd use anything in his arsenal to win her over.

"I changed my mind," he replied smoothly.

She huffed. "Good for you," she shot back, folding her arms across her chest, a clear warning for him to back off. He didn't. He made that mistake before. Now he wanted to make up for it.

"Please, Bella." Edward wasn't above begging. "I know my behavior is unforgivable, but I had a lot on my mind." Understatement of the century. "I know I haven't been the best date, but I'm asking for another chance. Please."

Chocolate brown eyes met emerald green, holding them for one long moment. Deciding if she should take the chance on him, he guessed. Edward made his choice. He chose her over his duty. Now he stood, patiently waiting for her to make her choice.

The deputy, no longer needed, or wanted, backed away. Edward noted the look in the male's eyes, making a mental note to keep an eye on him. His gut told him not to trust him with Bella.

Edward shoved the man from his mind, shoved everything from his mind. Only Bella mattered.

Finally, she offered him a glowing smile. Taking a handful of his shirt, she yanked him close. "You've got a lot of making up to do," she informed him, her eyes bright. "You might have to dance with me for the rest of the night."

He smirked. "I think I can handle it."

"Good."

Only one thing left to do to make things right, he knew. Luckily, it's something Edward wanted since the very first day. Something he denied both of them the other night, believing it wrong to use her in such a way to find her sister.

He didn't stand with her now because of his orders. Or as a way of finding her sister. No, he stood in front of this beautiful woman because he wanted to.

Her eyes widening once more, Edward figured his intent must be written across his face.

Cupping her cheek, he brushed his thumb across her cheek, Edward lowered his head, covering her mouth with his. Their lips met in a slow, gentle kiss. Fire swelled inside him, burning through his veins, his fingers sliding into hair, gripping the soft curls tightly, angling her head so he could kiss her the way he wanted. Needed. Lust a sharp jolt to his system, every muscle tensed, heart thudding in his chest, he felt like a boy again, kissing a girl for the first time. His body reacting wildly to the sensation of her luscious curves pressed tightly against him, his body screamed for more. To thrust his tongue past her full lips and finally taste her the way he needed, to find a dark, secluded spot and take her there and then, but he was a man, not a boy. He refused to allow his hormones, his body's intense demand for this woman, to rush him. He'd waited for this kiss for too long to rush it, perhaps even ruin it.

To his surprise, and delight, Bella rose to her toes, slanting her lips over his, she deepened the kiss. Like his, her fingers slid into his hair, and she released a sexy little moan. Edward's body stirred, he knew she must feel his need for her, but she didn't shy away from him.

He'd kissed many women in his long life, but nothing compared to this. He didn't care if he sounded like a pussy. A man as sexually experienced as he should find a kiss boring, mundane. But to him, because of who kissed him, who moaned against his lips, he'd never been hotter for a woman.

Edward allowed himself to drown in her. Such soft lips, nothing tasted sweeter than her. He didn't know how long they kissed, but the song playing at the start of the kiss coming to an end by the time she eased back. Her eyes dreamy, he felt like he could take on the world. And he just might have to but believed she just might be worth the damage caused.

"It's about time," she murmured, stroking her fingers along his jaw. Her tongue darted out, licking her pink lips. He exhaled slowly. If she asked for the moon, he'd find a way to get it for her. As her tongue traced her lower lip as if savouring the taste of him, her eyes darkening, she fucking owned him in that moment.

Edward rested his forehead against hers. "I'm sorry it took me so long."

"It's okay," she assured him. "You're worth the wait."

Unwilling to create another excuse, or lie her any more than he already had, Edward pressed his lips to hers. Refusing to rush once more.

#

Bella didn't know what changed while she danced, but Edward returned.

She knew she took a big risk in giving him another chance. She'd never advise anyone to follow in her footsteps, but her gamble paid off. Eventually. He told her on the dance floor he'd got a lot on his mind. Now, hopefully, he'd sorted his head out. Or, hopefully, would confide in her next time. They may not know each other very well yet, but she'd listen if he wanted someone to talk to.

The rest of the night was the perfect date. They talked and danced. Neither one mentioning the last few days. He didn't complain about dancing to some of her favourite songs, either. In fact, he looked as if he enjoyed himself.

He also kissed her. He kissed her a lot, more than making up for the lame kisses on the cheek. The man could kiss...

Smiling, she stared out the window into the darkness, as they drove along the streets. Definitely worth waiting for.

Brimming with happiness, contentment, Bella feared she'd explode. She hadn't felt this way in a long time.

Moments earlier, she opened the passenger window slightly as rain began to fall. She liked the smell of the rain, the sound of the cool droplet's hitting the window, pavement, while she sat snuggled up in the passenger seat. One hand gripping the roof through the small gap in the window, rain tickled her skin. Edward sat beside her, one hand on the wheel, his arm draped on the back of her seat. Every now and then she'd feel his fingers trail along her neck, or he'd twirl a lock of her hair around his finger.

Bella noted her sister's absence when she ran off to dance earlier that night, but she hoped if Jessica 'popped in' she'd feel her joy. After all, her sister's advice is what set things in motion.

Bella believed seeing her with Jacob, realizing it would be the last time she would accept his invitation to spend the evening together, is what knocked some sense into the man beside her. While not her intention, the results pleased her.

Bella frowned, biting her lip. If jealousy made him act tonight, would it last? What if he reverted to the quiet man from the start of their evening? The man she enjoyed spending time with sat beside her, not the brooding man sitting in the bar staring at his beer.

Edward pulled over, the ride home over too quickly for her liking.

"Hey," he murmured, tucking his finger under her chin, urging her to face him. "What's wrong?"

He spoke in a whisper, as if he feared speaking too loudly might ruin the moment. The romantic bubble they shared vanishing with a pop.

"I'm a little worried," she replied honestly.

"Why?" Shifting closer, he removed his finger from her face, wrapping his arm around her. Bella snuggled closer. If felt nice, right, her body close to his, their faces inches apart.

Afraid she'd burst the bubble too, Bella whispered, "You said you had thing's on your mind. I hope, for your peace of mind, you've sorted it out. But, I'm worried. I like you, Edward, I do. I'm willing to listen if you ever need someone to listen, about anything. But I don't like games, or mixed messages. I don't want to continue this, whatever's happening between us, if every time I see you I'm going to worry who I'm spending time with."

Edward winced. "I'm sorry, Bella. I let my stuff affect us. I have no right asking a second chance, especially in the little time we've known each other. I acted like a jackass. You deserve a better explanation than I can give you, right now. All I can do is ask for another shot. Prove to you the man you see now, the one sitting here, is the only man you'll see from now on. I don't deserve it, but I'm asking for it anyway."

Staring into his earnest gaze, Bella decided everyone deserved a second chance.

"Promise?"

Shoulders relaxing, he nodded. "Promise."

"No more of these lame kisses on the cheek goodnight?" she teased.

He laughed once. "I never wanted to kiss you on the cheek." He brushed his thumb across her lower lip. "I wanted to taste you from the moment I saw you, drenched and pissed off. I'd never seen anyone more beautiful."

He sounded so sincere, Bella believed him. But still, she needed to know, so she asked, "Why didn't you? Well, not on the first day, I would've junk punched you. But why didn't you kiss me the other night? I wanted you to."

Edward traced a gentle finger along her cheek, his eyes tender, and Bella almost melted on the spot. "I needed to figure some things out. It's personal. I'm not married, or seeing anyone, if that's your concern. There's no one like that in my life. It's about me. But, while I don't have it all figured it out, yet, I'm getting there. I promise." A playful gleam entered his eyes. "Now, if you're okay with it, I'd really like to kiss you again."

Bella didn't bother replying. She buried her fingers in his thick hair, tilting her head upwards until their lips met.

Bella could spend the rest of her life happily kissing this man. His lips soft, yet firm as his free hand came up to cup her jaw. The arm at her shoulder, lowering, curling around her waist, crushing her body to his.

Bella felt his heart pounding in his chest, knew he most likely felt hers. His stubble rough against sensitive skin, but she liked it. He kissed her like he did the first time. Slowly, sensually, in no hurry whatsoever. His slow, gentle touch more seductive than if he threw her up the wall and ravished her. While the idea of getting ravished intrigued her, right now, she wouldn't change a thing.

Sitting in the safety of his car, the only sounds their heavy breathing, and rain splattering against the car roof as they steamed up the windows. And Bella wanted more. She wanted this man. And she didn't care that she'd only known him a short while. Why should she? The curse placed on Bella forced her to be good. Not a saint.

Unfortunately, he broke the kiss. Ignoring her small whimper of protest, he eased. Chest heaving, breath uneven, eyes dark with need, he practically growled, "You should go inside."

"Why?" she demanded. Not ready to leave him quite yet or douse the fire he'd created inside her.

His eyes flashed. "Because if we do this for much longer I won't be able to stop," he warned her.

Feeling bold, ready to make the next move, she replied, "I don't want you to stop."

Only days ago, Bella sat with Jessica, insisting she didn't possess the courage to do this. But she did. Whether it be her own growing confidence, or the almost desperate need she saw in his eyes, she felt like she could ask anything, say anything. She didn't want the night to end, obviously, he didn't either. Why should it?

They would go to his place, of course. Edward, like the rest of the world, could never learn of her sister's existence.

Shutting his eyes, Edward breathed deeply. When he opened them again, they were calm. The fierce need she witnessed, now under control. He wanted her, she knew it without a shadow of a doubt, but she'd be sleeping alone tonight.

"Bella, you have no idea how much I want to continue. But I can't."

"Why not?" Yes, she expected him to say something along those lines, but his rejection still stung.

Edward tucked a lock of soft hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered, trailing along the line of her jaw. "I've acted terribly these last couple of days. While, thankfully, you forgave me, I don't deserve you yet. It's not be fair to you. I've seduced you with my incredible kissing skills."

Snorting out a laugh, Bella advised, "I wouldn't go that far. But you're right, you don't deserve me yet." She no longer felt the need to push back any injured feelings. Thanks to his massive ego, she struggled not to giggle like a school girl.

Edward wanted to wait, make it up to her. They would spend the night together when he believed he deserved her. He needed to prove himself? Fine.

Bella refused to force the issue considering he gave her a valid explanation. Or pout because he said not tonight.

"I guess there's only one thing left to do," she said, pulling back to unbuckle her seat belt.

"What's that?"

Leaning forward, she kissed his cheek, promising, "I'll call you."

His eyes narrowed. She'd thrown his words from their first day back in his face. Laughing at his expression, she excited the car. Practically skipping, Bella rushed down her path, turning back once to blow him a kiss.

Edward sat there, a grin on his handsome face, watching until she opened the door. Only after closing the door could she hear the engine roar to life. Leaning back against the hard wood, she breathed out a long, dreamy sigh.

Bella stood there for a minute, half expecting Jessica to rush down the stairs. When she brushed her sister's mind with her own, she found her twin fast asleep.

Too wired to sleep with wonderful memories of the night still fresh in her mind, with no one to gush about her night with, she felt at a loss at what to do next.

An idea came to her, she knew one way of releasing a little excess energy.

Quietly making her way through the house, she stopped at the basement door. Unlike most people, going to the basement in the middle of the night didn't frighten her. Bounding down the rickety stairs, she tugged on the light, a bare bulb brightening the dark room. Grinning, she cast her eyes around the space. Musical instruments dominated the room.

As a child, Bella showed an affinity for music. Able to play multiple instruments, including piano, guitar and violin, her parents encouraged her to pursue music. But, even at her young age, she understood why her talent would only ever be a hobby. Carlisle forbade her to pursue music. He explained the dangers that might befall her, her family, should the Rose coven, or the Sayer coven, discover her alive.

Bella pushed her dream aside. Instead of performing on stage, once in a while, she came to her basement to play.

Not only a creative outlet, but the one place she felt comfortable enough to use her gifts. In fact, Bella often joked while most witches controlled the elements, created or destroyed life, she became a one-man-band with a mere thought.

Raising her hand, the violin propped against the wall, rose, and bow floating alongside it. Narrowing her eyes, she concentrated. The bow moved, soft music filling the room.

Next, she turned to her upright piano, playing the opening notes of one of her favourite songs. Then came the guitar, the drums. Quietly, not wanting to wake the neighbourhood, more instruments began to play until they flowed together.

In the middle of the instruments, the beautiful music, stood Bella. No longer did she concentrate on each individual instrument. Playing the instruments came to her as easy as breathing now. As natural. She danced in centre of the music, evidence of her talents. Euphoric, not only because of the events of the night, but the high that came from releasing the music within her. The magic.

Measured clapping brought her back to Earth, the melody ending abruptly. She flinched at the sharp sound of instruments crashing to the ground.

Hand clutched to her chest, she spun to find Jessica standing at the foot of the basement steps. Wrapped in a robe, her hair rumpled, she applauded.

"Wow. I'm impressed."

Her cheeks flooding, Bella muttered, "I thought you were asleep."

"I was," she drawled. "Minding my own business, enjoying a wonderful dream involving the Hemsworth brothers. Then you decided to become a one-woman band. It woke me. I don't mind. I've never seen you use your gifts so confidently before. I'm impressed. Very _Matilda_ ," she added, waving her fingers with a flourish.

"Thank you."

"Do you do this often?"

"Not really," she confessed. "My parents didn't encourage me to use my gifts this way. When they returned to Higgins, a little under a month after adopting me, they decided magic no longer held a place in their lives. Not here, in this town. They didn't practice witch craft. When they came home, with me, they wanted a normal life. To blend in."

Jessica pursed her lips. Disapproval pinching her features. "I see. So, I take it this means the night went well," she said changing the subject.

"You know how it went."

"I do. I'm happy for you. Truly, I am. When he gets his act together he seems like a nice man. He makes you smile, which is all that matters."

"He does," she confirmed.

Jessica smiled. "Good. Well, I'm going to back to bed, you are so loved up it's practically sickening. Have fun," she called back, climbing the stairs.

Bella rolled her eyes at her sisters teasing.

The basement door closing, she turned back to her instruments, raising both hands. Delighted, joy warming her heart, brown eyes burning gold, Bella began to play.

#

"Angus, come on. Help me out, dude," Edward exclaimed, returning to his room to find puddles of dog urine on the small bathroom floor. Along with the remains of a box of tissues.

The mongrel smiled up at him. He didn't think it possible for a dog to smile, but Angus proved him wrong. The dog, downright cheerful, rushed to Edward, yipping before plopping his butt on the tiled floor. Barking once after Edward failed to scratch his ears.

"Don't you bark at me. I swear you've done this just to piss me off." Sinking to his knees Edward began to clean up the massacre in front of him. "Put that down," he snapped when Angus tried to help. His version of help meant diving at scraps of tissue as if his sworn enemy.

"If this is about leaving you behind, you can get over it. I told you, they don't allow puppies in bars. Especially, puppies who piss all over the floor, that's for damn sure."

Angus barked. "Hush," Edward hissed. "Are you trying to get us kicked out? As much as I like the idea of sharing Bella's bed, I don't think she's ready for us to move in quite yet. Besides, she's got a cat." He grimaced. "And possibly her identical, homicidal maniac of a sister hiding in the attic," he added, climbing to his feet.

The puppy gazed up at him with sweet brown eyes, his tongue hanging out. "Come on, you little shit. Let's get you something to drink. I don't know about you, but I could use a beer before I clean your piss up."

Angus trotted after him, following him into the bedroom.

Edward placed a bowl of fresh water on the floor for the mutt. He needed something to piss all over the bathroom, didn't he? About to take a sip of beer, his cell phone vibrated in his pocket.

Stiffening, knowing who called, he dreaded the conversation. The lies about to spew from his lips.

"Emmett," he greeted.

"Well?" his boss, his friend, demanded. As time flew by, with Emmett's men finding jack shit, their conversations becoming more and more clipped. Filled with frustration on Emmett's half. Shame on Edward's.

Tonight, he didn't feel the familiar shame. As much as Edward didn't like it, he'd lie his ass off to the man he respected most, if it meant keeping his secret. Protecting Bella from the truth, from his people, until came up with a plan.

Wishing to get their nightly conversation over with, Edward quickly informed his commander of his progress. Or lack of it. "I didn't get in the house."

Silence answered him. Always a bad sign.

"I tried, boss, I really did. I gave her everything I've got, but she turned me down. I don't know what else I can do." Edward didn't like lying to his friend, but he did so flawlessly. His tone loaded with self-recrimination. With a dash of incredulity, for good measure.

"Try harder," Emmett replied shortly.

"I am," he insisted, with a touch of offense this time. "I tried everything, to the point of coming across a stalker. If I pushed any harder she'd call her ex, the deputy sheriff. If I pushed, I'd be calling you from a jail cell. How does getting arrested, slapped with a restraining order, help me get in her house?"

"Fine. I'll call you for an update tomorrow night. Edward?"

"Yes?"

"We can't find her. Any chance of finding her passes with every day. We've got people searching, but my gut is saying she's in that house. Don't let me down. I sent you because you're the best I've got. I trust you to get the job done. Prove me right. Get inside that fucking house. Don't make me send someone else to do your job for you."

Before Edward's temper caused him to say something he wouldn't regret, the dial tone sounded in his ear.

Sighing, he dropped down on the soft bed. His lies, his lack of progress, beginning to affect his relationship with one of his best friends. His mentor. Yet, despite the consequences of his actions, he didn't regret his action's tonight. Or his lies.

He'd been alone for so long. His brothers, the only ones he called friends, family. As much as he loved them, he wanted more.

Strange, before this assignment Edward hadn't considered himself a lonely man. Happy with his life and proud of his success as a Warrior, he thought himself content with the legacy he would one day leave behind.

Until Bella.

The temptation to take her up on her offer, to take her in his arms, lose himself inside her was fierce, but he couldn't. Not yet. When he told her he didn't deserve it, he meant it.

Edward wanted her more than he wanted to breathe, but if he'd gone inside, found the witch, it would all be over. He'd battle the witch, kill her. And lose Bella.

Bound to happen anyway, he supposed.

But if Bella got to know him, if she cared for him, he might stand a chance of bringing her around. Convincing her why her sister must be stopped. A long shot, he knew.

If it meant slowing down their relationship, potentially allowing a psychopathic witch to roam free for a while longer… So be it.

Finding her tonight, killing her tonight, wouldn't bring Mike back. Change the past or wipe away the harm she'd caused. It did, however, give Edward a chance.

Edward didn't know what else to do or see a way around the obstacles threatening to destroy his burgeoning relationship with Bella. He needed time to plan, to come up with a way of destroying the witch without losing the woman he'd only just begun to accept he wanted for more than a few nights.

Until then, they'd spend a lot of time kissing.

Kissing Bella, tasting those sweet lips… He grinned in the darkness, it's a sacrifice he'd readily make.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Over the next week, Bella spent most of her free time with Edward. They enjoyed long walks together, strolling hand in hand down the street's she called home. They went to movies, and shared romantic candlelit dinners. He even convinced her to give bowling another try.

When Angus tagged along on one of their walks, she realized, despite his grumbling, Edward let the little puppy get away with murder. He scolded him like a frustrated parent, praised him, and protected him from a fluffy dog who came a little too close for Angus', and Edward's, liking. Adorable.

The more time Bella spent with Edward, the more she got to know him, the more she liked him. Kind, funny, and a single parent to his beloved puppy. Considerate, a quality worthy of major bonus points. He looked at her as if she were the only woman in the world. Most importantly, he listened.

Taking things slow, they remained in the kissing only zone. Fine with her. They kissed, touched, held each other. Bella didn't worry, or doubt he wanted her, she was confident they would come together given time. Edward, she thought, seemed perfectly happy with their situation.

One thing neither mentioned, the future. During their first date, he told her about his life as a soldier. She didn't know if he planned on staying in Higgins or would soon leave to serve his country.

Bella hoped he decided to stay, but didn't bring it up, afraid of his answer. Instead of worrying about what might be, she focussed on the present. Over the last couple of weeks, she got to know a wonderful, handsome man who she cared about. Who seemed to care about her. Why focus on the only negative?

Bella didn't. She lived in the moment. While living in the moment, each moment they shared together, Bella edged a little closer away from like, blindly heading towards the beginnings of love.

Edward, true to his word, never returned to the aloof, disinterested man who took her to the bar last week. He remained the man who gave her butterflies, who kicked her ass at bowling. Who held her close and kissed her until she couldn't remember her own name.

Bella sometimes felt guilty for abandoning her sister. Jessica risked a lot to come to Higgins, yet she ditched her twin for a man.

When she said as much to Jessica, her sister laughed.

 _'_ _Stop worrying, Bella. I'm a big girl. I'm sure I can find a way to entertain myself. Besides, I'm happy your happy. I like seeing you this way. Stop with the self-recriminations for living for your life, will you?'_

Earlier that day, returning home from the diner, it delighted her to hear Mrs. Young calling her name from across the road.

Bella didn't have time to stand on the sidewalk and chat with her sweet elderly neighbour, she needed to get inside, scrub away the scent of greasy burgers before her date with Edward. Nothing major planned, a walk around the park with his cutie pie, Angus, and maybe a movie afterwards. But her mother raised her right, if Mrs. Young wanted to talk her ear off, like she'd done many in the past, then she'd stand there with a smile on her face.

Bella took in the older woman's colourful hair, her wild dress sense as closed the space between her and her neighbour, admiring her for dressing the way she liked and to hell with the rest of the world _._

 _I hope I'm like her when I'm older_.

Mrs. Young's life hadn't been an easy one. Her husband, deputy sheriff many years ago, and a mean son of a bitch who liked to use his fists to feel like a man. Her children, like their father, treated their mother with disdain. Since leaving home, they rarely visited the woman who raised them.

Years ago, on a rainy afternoon, Bella played with the paint set in the kitchen when she heard the deputy's snarling voice, shouting at the top of his lungs. Calling his wife every name under the sun, screaming what he planned to do once he got inside.

The red-faced deputy, bellowing from the rose bushes outside the living room window, looked enraged. Even as a child, Bella feared he what he'd do if he got inside. Terrified he might harm the nice lady who gave her cookies. Quickly, the sheriff arrived, along with every man who lived in the street. The men, and some women, gathering on their neighbour's front lawn, ready, willing to stop him if he attempted to get enter the house.

Only now, as an adult, did she understand the emotion that filled her young heart so many years ago. Pride. They stood, brave in the face of his rage, each of them refusing to back down.

The sheriff forcibly removed the deputy and, to Bella's knowledge, Mrs. Young divorced her abusive husband soon after. Moving on with her life, she lived the way she wished. No longer did she cower, or hide, she did as she pleased. Mrs. Young, a woman Bella could never bring herself to call Nora, often said she found herself on that rainy day so many years ago.

Bella couldn't think of a braver woman to aspire to become in her old age.

"How are you feeling, Mrs. Young?" she asked once she reached her.

Waving her hand, Mrs. Young muttered, "I'm fine. I wanted to catch you before you left for the evening. I need to talk to you about that strapping man you've been spending time with." She waggled her heavily pencilled on eyebrows.

Bella face heated. "His name is Edward."

"I know his name," she retorted impatiently. "I met him a few weeks back when he came lurking around your house. Looking for you, I'd say," she added slyly.

Bella's brow puckered. "Was I home at the time?"

Mrs. Young shook her head, her short, blue rinsed hair ruffling. "No. He claimed he saw the door open, wanted to make sure everything you were okay." She winked. "Like I said, looking for you, but too embarrassed at getting caught to admit it. Not much gets by me."

Distracted, Bella nodded her head. Edward returned to her house? Looking for her? He hadn't told her that. Her lip's quirked. He came back to see her. And he got caught by the little old lady in front of her. Bella stifled a giggle. Poor Edward.

"Don't you worry, I warned him off, just in case you didn't want him hanging around. You do want him hanging around, right?" she asked, her eyes taking on a sly gleam once again. _She knows I want him around_ , Bella thought. Her neighbour wanted it confirmed before she shared the news with her book club. Her erotic novel only, book club.

"Yes, Mrs. Young, I want him around."

The elderly lady grinned. "Good. You'd be crazy if you didn't. He sure is something to look at. If only I could turn back time, be twenty years younger…" she trailed off. "Oh, forget it, ten years younger, and with my original hips, that man wouldn't know what hit him."

Bella gaped, unable to speak. This sweet little old lady stood, hanging on to her metal frame for dear life while fantasising about a man forty years her junior.

 _I hope I'm like her when I'm older,_ she thought once again.

"Oh, don't look at me like that," she scolded. "I may be old, but I've still got needs. Now, when you're finished with him, you send him on over to me."

Bella smirked. "I will."

Apparently satisfied with her response, Mrs. Young nodded. "You go on now. Get yourself ready. He'll be here soon, if recent history is anything to go by. Remember what I said. When you're done, send him over to me. I may be in my seventies, but I'll show him a good time."

As Mrs. Young slowly shuffled her way back to her house, Bella replayed the conversation through her head, snickering under her breath. She couldn't wait until Edward arrived to pick her up, eager to let him know he had an admirer all too willing to teach him a thing or two.

#

The next night, after spending another wonderful evening with Edward, Bella sat alone at the kitchen table. Moonlight shimmering through the open blinds, the only thing that kept her from sitting in darkness.

Tracing her fingertip along the grooves in the table, waves of despair bombarded her. Regret weighing heavily on her shoulders, threatening to drag her down into a dark abyss, she waited, dreading the clock to strike midnight.

The anniversary of the worst moment of her life only minutes away, she dreaded this night every year. Prayed for it not come. Every year she lost, every year the clock struck twelve and memories overwhelmed her.

"Why aren't you asleep?" Jessica murmured, entering the kitchen, her long hair rumpled from sleep, and her feet bare.

"I couldn't settle." She met her sister's gaze, her eyes glassy with tears. "It's ten minutes till our birthday."

Traditionally a day of celebration, not mourning. Bella might celebrate, if this day didn't remind her what their birthday represented. On this day, twenty-nine years ago, Amelia Rose delivered twin daughters. The curse, cast upon them in the womb, springing to life. Their fates sealed. For Amelia Rose and David Sayer, their deaths would soon follow. Both willing to turn their backs on family, friends, to protect their daughters. They died trying. For Bella, it meant very little. Darkness didn't linger in her heart, waiting patiently for release. The curse didn't twist her, turn her into something she wasn't.

She wished she could say the same for Jessica.

At one time, Bella enjoyed this day like any other. Presents, cake, attention, what little girl didn't enjoy her birthday? Then, one terrible night, everything changed.

Ever since that night, she couldn't bring herself to celebrate this day. Celebrate the anniversary of the day her sister embraced the darkness dwelling inside her.

Frowning, Jessica walked over to the wine rack. Grabbing a bottle of red and a couple of classes, she pulled out a chair, wooden leg's scraping harshly against the tiled floor, and sat opposite her sister. Pouring each a glass, she slid one across the table. Bella didn't touch it. Jessica gulped hers.

Setting the empty glass down with a snap, she snatched up the bottle, pouring another.

"Don't do this," Jessica ordered quietly. "Don't sit here, in the dark, wallowing over the past."

"I've tried." Oh, she'd tried. "For the first few years, I tried to ignore it. Push the memories back, and pretend it never happened. It didn't work out too well. I ended up pacing my bedroom floor in the middle of the night. I learned to accept it. Or wallow in it," she added, borrowing her sister's term.

"Accept it?" Jessica letting out an incredulous chuff of laughter. "You decided to accept your reaction to the night I lost my soul?"

Bella closed her eyes, shutting out her sister's words. "Don't say that." She lifted her lashes. "You didn't lose your soul," she protested. She could hear the desperation in her voice, felt it in her heart.

Bringing the glass to her lips, Jessica challenged, "Bella, what else do you call it when a girl tip toes into her 'parent's' bedroom, and murders them while they sleep? I lost my soul that night. I don't regret it."

Bella flinched. "Don't."

Fire snapped in Jessica's eyes. "Don't what, little sister? Tell you the truth? Talk about it? You claim you accept it, so why can't we discuss it?" she demanded harshly.

Bella forced herself to hold her sister's gaze. "Okay. Let's talk. Why did you do it? Why did you kill them?"

She felt no relief for finally asking aloud the question she so desperately needed to ask for a decade.

Jessica leaned back in her chair. "I took them out before they turned on me," she replied simply.

Shaking her head in denial, Bella replied, "I was with you, Jessica. I knew the exact moment you plunged a knife into her chest. They loved you. They never would have hurt you." She pictured the handsome couple who raised Jessica, loved her like their own. And she pictured how they looked that night, eyes glassy, covered in their own blood while their daughter walked away without a care.

Jessica scoffed. "You don't know what you're saying. If I did nothing, they'd try sooner or later, Bella. I got in there first, that's all."

"That's all?" she demanded in horror. "You murdered your parents. You waited until they fell asleep. You," Bella stopped short. Tears sliding miserably down her cheeks, she refused to speak the words.

Her twin's lips firmed. "I crept downstairs. I tip toed through the kitchen. Grabbed the biggest, sharpest knife, clutched it tightly in my hand as I climbed the stairs, into their bedroom at the end of the hall. I killed her first," she stated coldly. "Her scream woke him up. I rammed the blade down, watching calmly as they took their last breaths."

Jessica shared her story with such ease. Without shame or remorse. It turned Bella's stomach. How could her loving sister, who doted on her, be so cruel?

"I watched, too," Bella reminded her, her voice hoarse, trembling, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Jessica averted her gaze, but not before Bella caught a flash of guilt. "I know. I hated that you saw, but they left me no choice."

"No. You're wrong." She shook her head adamantly. "You could have let them live."

Jessica rested her elbows on the edge of the table. "Bella, please, you know the rules. You don't ask, and I don't tell. I've protected you from it for years."

"I know."

Bella remembered the night she witnessed Jessica murder her parents in cold blood. Her own parents running into her room, helplessly trying to calm their hysterical daughter. She knew the instant her twin became aware of her presence within her mind. Felt her sister's horror, her shame. Not of her actions, but because she felt responsible for Bella's distress.

At eighteen years old, Jessica Davenport became a murderer and disappeared.

"Why are you bringing this up now?" she demanded. "Where is this coming from?"

Bella's quiet chuckle held no humour. "It's always been there, Jess. It's always stood between us."

Shoving to her feet, the wooden chair crashing to the ground, Jessica began to pace. Much like Bella did on this night every year after year. "I don't regret it, Bella."

"They were your family."

"No!" she snarled. "They were not my family, Bella." She spun, spearing the air with her finger, pointing to a photograph of Bella with her parents. "They are not yours," she stated cruelly. "Our family burned because, unlike me, they refused to get their hands dirty."

"What?" Bella demanded. "What does that mean?"

"It means, instead of running, of hiding, instead of _handing over their daughters_ , they should've slaughtered every one of them. Destroyed whoever threatened us."

"How? How could two witches possibly take down two _covens_ and win? It's impossible."

The words Jessica spoke next dripped with bitterness and resentment. "Yeah. Instead, they hand us to Carlisle. They gave us away, for what? They died anyway."

"They did what they thought best at the time. They wanted to protect us."

"And failed. Instead of running, of giving us away, they should've torched their houses to cinders," she gritted out through clenched teeth.

While her sister let her temper fly, Bella said solemnly, "If they didn't give us to Carlisle, we'd be dead, too. Burned along with them. Instead, we're alive. Raised with people who loved us."

Her sister continued to pace like a caged animal. Restless and volatile. "Maybe you did. Carlisle sent you to this sweet little town, with your loving parents. I got sent to the Davenports. Who watched me like a bug under a microscope. They knew, Bella," she insisted. "They knew what I'd become. They watched every move I made. Every mistake I made."

"So, you killed them in their sleep?"

Her smile wide, proud, she replied, "Yes, I did. I'd do it again. I'm not you, Bella. I didn't get the good genes. I am who I am. I won't apologise for it, even to you. I did what I did to survive. I do it now to survive." She paused before admitting, "And because it's fun."

"Jessica."

"No. I'm not you. I'm not the 'good' one. I didn't get placed with loving, normal parents. I knew the only reason they took me in is because they didn't have the balls to refuse Carlisle. Speaking of Carlisle," she ground out his name. "Do you think I get weekly phone calls? Does he ever think to visit me? It's abundantly clear you're his main priority."

"That's not true," Bella argued. "He loves you. He worries about you. He gives you everything you want, even now."

"He gives me money," Jessica corrected. "He gives you love. Attention."

"He does love you," Bella insisted strongly. He loved Jessica. Would always love her.

"Not like he loves you. It's okay because, despite him being family, when it comes down to it, I'll gladly destroy him if he ever gets in my way."

Bella sucked in a sharp breath. "Don't say that," she whispered, horrified. He saved them, found them homes. Protected them. No matter what Jessica claimed, he loved them. Equally.

Taking a deep breath, Jessica walked over to her sister, placing a soft hand against her cheek.

"I'm sorry. I don't like upsetting you. I'm not mad at you, never at you. I love you, little sister. You are the only one I care about." She brushed her thumb over her sisters tear streaked cheek. "Never forget that. Don't try to make me into something I'm not. You'll only be disappointed." Leaning down, she kissed her forehead as the clock struck twelve. "Happy birthday," she breathed, and walked away.

Well, that went well. Bella wanted to chase after her, apologise for forcing her torment onto her sister.

She didn't.

They'd never fought before. She didn't know how to fix things. Scolding herself for bringing it up at all, Bella sat in the darkness, tears drying on her skin, overcome with despair, not only for the lives taken, but for Jessica. For the life she would have if not for the curse.

#

The day of her twenty-ninth birthday, Bella felt drained, scraped raw from the night before. More than anything, she just wanted this day over with already.

Jessica didn't come down for breakfast, most likely avoiding her after their fight last night. Bella understood why Jessica might wish for some time alone, even if the thought of her sister wanting to avoid her stung. Harsh words got tossed around in her small kitchen, by both of them. Perhaps they both needed a little cooling off time.

Bella made no plans with Edward today. Never herself on this day, she didn't want to bring him down with her. Besides, she volunteered to work all the hour's god sent. Anything to take her mind off what her birthday now represented in her mind.

She began her day with a trip to the grocery store. Unconvincingly thanking those who wished her a happy birthday. Returning home, she quickly unpacked grocery's, with Jessica nowhere in sight. Searching her shopping bags for fabric conditioner, she traded a few text messages with Edward, who tried to coerce her into playing hooky. She declined.

Before lunch, she set out on her bike. Usually, she took her car on a day like today. The work day being a long one, she might not have the energy for a ride home. But she wanted, needed, fresh air, the warm midday sun on her skin.

Bella walked into a packed clinic. Packed meant she'd be too busy to wallow in her usual slump. Noisy sounds of barking dogs, ringing phones, fussy animal owners, kept her from fretting over last night, or becoming even more miserable when the day continued to drift by without a single word shared between sisters.

Finishing her shift, Bella rode over to the diner, arriving with a little time to spare, Edward called. His voice soothing her injured feelings, dragging Bella out of her pity party. Suddenly wishing she'd taken him up on his offer, she craved one of Edward hugs. The man, Bella decided, gave the best hugs. He held on tight. His larger body swallowing her up, she never felt safer than when in his arms.

Unfortunately, her six-hour shift started in five minutes. No Edward hugs for her today, and she had no one to blame but herself.

"You sound off," he commented over the phone. "Is something wrong?"

Sitting in the smoking area out back, her shift about to start, she couldn't bring herself to hang up. Two minutes on the phone with him and she felt better. More like herself.

"Nothing's wrong," Bella assured him. "I'm just having a bad day."

"That doesn't sound like you."

Dropping head back, the sun washing over her face, she agreed, "I know. I'm not a fan of this day."

"Why not?"

Hiding the truth from him felt silly. "It's my birthday."

"It is? Why didn't you tell me?" he demanded.

"What woman wants to turn a year older?"

Edward didn't speak. Bella placed her palm over her eyes, holding back a groan at her lame attempt at a joke, or how false she sounded. Thankfully, he didn't push the issue. "We need to do something. Call in sick, go home, and put on something sexy. I'm taking you out to celebrate."

Chuckling softly, Bella informed him, "I'm already here. Besides, I really don't like to celebrate. Just another day for an adult, right? I'll see you tomorrow," she promised. Tomorrow, when she'd be out of her funk.

"Okay," he caved. "I'll see you tomorrow, beautiful."

Her lips curled into a smile at his endearment. "Bye."

Three hours later, Bella, covered in sweat, valiantly attempted to organize the dry storage room. Unusually quiet in the diner, Irina asked her to sort out the mess out back. Bella understood why she got charged with the task. Distracted since she walked through the door, she'd gotten order's wrong all evening. Easier to put her in back, away from customers, than refunding annoyed diners in her section for the rest of the night. Lack of sleep and a busy day now catching up with her, she'd made a few mistakes already. So far, she'd gotten three orders wrong, broken two cups, and a bowl.

Organising boxes of sugar sachets in back, out of everyone's way, was probably the best place for her, Bella thought. Turn the radio up, singing along with the melody, as she tried to organize the crap pile in front of her, she would do it with a grin on her face. Here, she didn't need to paste a fake smile on her face, or chat excitedly to regulars about their lives when what she really needed is quiet. Solitude.

Jessica's continued silence worried her. Why did she have to dredge up such horrible things? By doing so, she upset her sister, the last thing she ever wished to do. But, despite the awful things said, and the tense silence, Bella needed to say those words. To ask the question's she'd held in for years.

Only now, Bella feared she'd lose her sister, and the incredible bond they shared, because of it.

Done with the sugar, moving onto a haphazardly mountain of decaffeinated coffee, Irina strolled into the store room. "Hey, Bella? Angela says a customer is being a little difficult. She's starting to lose her patience with him and I'm swamped with paper work. Can you deal with him for me?"

Nodding, Bella hurried out of the store room. Angela waited for her at the counter, looking a tad frazzled. Bella resisted the overwhelming urge to turn around and head back to the store room. If a customer upset Angela this much, a self-professed miracle worker when it came to agitated customers, Bella didn't look forward to dealing with him.

Angela, a slim brunette hair, sporting a tattoo of a bird behind her left ear, began working in the diner a couple of months before Bella. Angela's personality a lot like her own meant the two got along fine. Often spending time together outside of work.

"Table five," Angela said.

Brushing her hands over her apron, Bella walked across the diner floor, grinding to a halt when she saw who waited for her at table five.

Bella expected a fussy old man, ready to complain about the temperature of the food or claim they didn't offer enough vegetarian options on the menu. She spent the short trip over mentally preparing herself to handle him, and whatever he threw at her.

She didn't prepare herself for this.

At table five, instead of an irate customer, stood Edward. In his standard jeans and a t-shirt, he looked sexy as hell.

A scarred table surface now covered in golden cloth, two long candles stood in the centre, between the silverware. Which he didn't get from the diner, that's for sure. Way too fancy for the diner, she decided. To top it all off, what looked to her, a homemade chocolate cake. Not the most attractive dessert she'd ever seen, it reminded her of the mud pie's she made as a kid, but it meant the world to her.

Floating over the seat, a heart shaped balloon with the words 'Happy Birthday' printed on it.

"Edward," she breathed, her smile tremulous and her gaze darting to his in wonder. "What did you do?"

He stepped forward, clasping her hand in his, tugging her close. With a cocky grin, he told her, "I called your boss, requested she keep you occupied while I set up."

"It's beautiful, it really is, but I'm at work."

Shaking his head in disagreement, he waited until she slid into the booth to further explain. "I've sorted it with Irina. I've seen more activity in a cemetery than this diner tonight, so she can spare you. Plus, it's your birthday. Irina had no idea, by the way, but agreed to play along. Ordered you to take the rest of the night off." He slid into the seat across from her. "Have dinner with me?" he murmured, his sweet eyes burning brightly into hers.

"Yes," she breathed, unable to deny him anything in this moment.

"Good. Now sit, order whatever you like. It's my treat." Reaching across the table, he placed his hand over hers, squeezing gently. "I know you said you don't like to celebrate your birthday. But indulge me a little. Let me celebrate with you."

Overcome with emotion, no one had ever done anything so sweet for her, her eyes shining, Bella nodded slightly. She feared if she spoke, she'd burst into tears and scare him away.

After a moment, she pointed toward the cake. "Did you make that?" she asked teasingly, her smile a touch wobbly.

Puffing out his chest, Edward said proudly, "Yes, I did." His chest deflating, he grimaced. "From a box. You know, one of those, three tablespoons of oil, an egg. A dash of milk."

Dipping a finger in the chocolate frosting, she brought it to her lips. "Best cake I've ever tasted," she declared.

Edward smirked. "I know you're lying, but I'll take it. So, what are you going to order?"

#

Eating burgers, they chatted about anything and everything. Edward shared with her more about his life, mostly his best friend Jasper. She liked Jasper. The 'computer nerd' as Edward named him, sounded hilarious.

Bella told him about her regulars in the diner, like the Summers siblings. In their mid-forties, brother and sister came in three times a week, arguing over everything. No matter the subject, they always found a way to make it into a heated debate. Movies, sports, politics', it didn't matter. They never agreed on anything and Bella found them highly entertaining.

Finishing their food, they moved onto birthday cake, which tasted surprisingly good. Edward announced, "Gift time."

"You didn't need to get me anything," she protested. "You've already done so much already."

Edward smiled indulgently across the table. "Bella, it's your birthday. I know you don't want to make a big deal, but I do. Shut up. Open your gifts," he ordered, handing her two small gifts, both wrapped in shiny silver paper.

Wanting to make him happy, and curious despite her earlier protest's, she tore at the paper, laughing when she unveiled the CD inside. "Sam Cooke's Greatest Hits?" she demanded, holding up the CD, thrilled with the gift.

"There's nothing wrong with Rod Stewart, but you can't beat the original."

Rod Stewart? It struck her. He bought her this because of the night in the bar, when she danced to _Twistin' The Night Away_. With Jacob.

Bella hadn't set out to make him jealous that night, or view Jacob as a rival. Her relationship with Jacob was in the past, and it's where it would stay. Spending this time with Edward, feeling happier than she dreamed she could be again, because of him, helped her see she'd truly moved on.

Leaning over the table, she brushed a kiss across his lips. "I agree. You can't beat Sam Cooke." Comprehension flickering in his green eyes, she knew he understood the word's she didn't say. She wanted him, and only him.

Grinning from ear to ear, he replied, "Good. Now open your other present."

Sitting back, she tore through the paper, discovering a black velvet box. Carefully, she popped the lid. Choking out a surprised laugh.

Inside the box lay a silver charm. Of a cat.

"I noticed you always wear a charm bracelet. I thought you might like this. You can pretend he's Todd," he added lightly.

Carefully, Bella freed the charm, holding it in her hand as if the most precious thing in the world to her. "My mom got me the charm bracelet for my sixteenth birthday," she murmured.

The bracelet in question looked old, worn, the charms inexpensive, but priceless in its value to her. It began with a single charm, a diamond studded '16'. As the years went by, her mother added others, each representing another aspect of Bella's personality. A book for her seventeenth, a small violin for her eighteenth. It continued until last year, when Bella teased she'd be unable to lift her arm soon.

This year, Bella opened her birthday present from her parents, miserable and alone, after her fight with Jessica. Her parents gifted her with a silver locket this time. A picture of the three of them inside. The photograph taken the day Carlisle entrusted her to the Stevens care.

The locket, something small but heartfelt, continued their tradition. Since they found her sobbing on her bedroom floor, her parents, while not knowing the reason why, accepted her sudden aversion to her birthday. Instead of making a big deal out of the day, they gave her something small, but meaningful. A charm for her bracelet, and an evening watching her favourite movies.

Edward, unwittingly, included himself in a family tradition. If he'd given her a diamond studded car, Bella doubted she could love it more than the small cat charm for her bracelet.

"It's perfect, Edward," she said. Glancing around at the presents, the cake, even a balloon, she asked with wonder. "How did you do all of this? How did you have the time?"

Taking the charm from her, fastening it to the bracelet, he admitted, "When you're looking at me like that, as if I hung the moon, I want to say I went to great lengths. But I didn't. It didn't take long, considering I broke a few speed limits," he chuckled, lowering their hands to the table, intertwining their fingers together.

"I went online, found a jewellery store nearby who sold charms, picked up the CD in town with the rest of the stuff. Then I begged Irina for a favor. Not a big deal. I know the gifts aren't diamonds or rubies, but I hope you like them."

"I love them," she corrected. "And it is a big deal. I normally dread this day, count down the seconds until it's over. I'm not counting down anything tonight." She gave his fingers a gentle squeeze. "Thank you."

His eyes, warm, tender, held hers. "Anytime."

"Why did you do all this for me? You didn't even know until a few hours ago, yet here we are. Table cloths, candles, and a balloon. Even a delicious cake. You've gone to a lot of trouble for someone you barely know. Why?"

He replied softly, "Because I think you're special, Bella. Your birthday is something that deserves celebration. I did this, I went through so much trouble," he drawled sarcastically. "I got in my car, did a little shopping, tossed a table cloth down and lit a couple of candles."

"Don't forget blowing up the balloon," she interrupted.

"The sales assistant did it for me," he confessed, joining in with her laughter. Untangling their fingers, he stroked his thumb across the back of her hand. "I did it because you matter to me. Does that answer your question?"

Bella sucked in a shaky breath, her heart skipping a beat at his response. His sincerity.

"More than enough."

#

After finishing dinner, as Bella floated on a cloud of happiness, Edward insisted on driving her home. She declined. What about her bicycle? He waved off her protests, assuring her only a moron would steal something so easily seen. From space, he muttered under his breath, but she heard him.

The day, which started out so terribly, ended almost magically. Bella didn't want to go home. Even if Jessica did venture out of her room, she didn't want to return to the tense atmosphere. Not yet.

Bella wanted to stay right here, on her cloud. With Edward.

Walking hand in hand to his car, she made her decision about how she wanted to spend the rest of her birthday.

"Edward?" Reaching the car, she tugged his hand, stopping him before he unlocked the door.

Expression content, he turned to her. "Yeah, beautiful?"

"Remember last week, when told me you didn't want to come inside because you didn't deserve me yet?"

Beneath her hand, Bella felt him tense. "I remember."

Placing her hands on his rock-hard chest, she pressed her lips to his in a slow, sensual kiss. Whispering against his lips, "I've decided you deserve me."

#

Edward's eyes, partially closed, dreamy from her kiss, snapped open. Her softly spoken words knocking the wind out of him. Lust, a tight fist in his gut, he swallowed hard.

Did she just say what he thought she said? Did he imagine the invitation in her eyes, in her voice?

"Wh-What did you just say?" he sputtered, unable to believe his ears.

"I said you deserve me." Bella smiled at him, confident and so damned beautiful.

He blinked. "I'm going to need to hear you say that one more time."

Giving him a playful shove, she laughed at him. "Stop it. You know what I said."

While his body screamed for him to shut the fuck up. To throw her over his shoulder, take her home, take her, before she changed her mind, he didn't. Ignoring his body, his own needs, Edward asked, "Are you sure?"

"I am. You know, since I'm so special. I matter so much," she teased, but pleasure warmed her eyes. "Edward, shut up and take me home with you."

Bella wanted this as badly as he did, he knew. She wanted this, wanted him, as much as he wanted her. Pulling their clasped hands to his mouth, he brushed a tender kiss across her fingers. "Then let's take you home."

Panic banished the humour, the warmth, from the depths of her eyes. "Not my place. Let's go to yours."

His heart thudded. Stopped. There it is, he thought. This is what he'd searched for. Confirmation the witch had set up home in Higgins. The panic in her eyes confirmed it for him.

Bella hid her sister in her home.

Edward should end it now. Make an excuse to her and share the news with his commander. But he wouldn't. Something shifting within him once again, it kept him from updating Emmett. He wasn't proud of it, but he knew it wouldn't change the outcome.

Bella loved her sister. Why hide her, protect her, if she didn't? If he went home with her now, gained entry and betrayed her, he'd destroy her. The loss of her sister too devastating for her to handle, his betrayal too much to forgive. He'd lose her.

Hurting Bella for any reason was something he flat out refused to do it. He'd think about his situation, come up with a plan to end this, without hurting Bella in the process.

Edward didn't know what to do. Yet. Or how he, a man who thought himself as honorable, could allow a murderer to roam free. But, if it came to keeping Bella or capturing a killer, he'd choose her every time.

He needed to think, to plan. Find a way of getting result's he desired without losing the woman he cared for. He wouldn't rush into action, potentially ruining everything in his haste.

Tonight, the witch didn't exist. Only Bella did.

"As long as you don't judge me for the state of the bathroom floor. It's all Angus, I swear."

Placing her hand over her heart, her eyes sparkling, she replied, "I promise. Now take me home."

"Yes, ma'am."


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N Hi everyone! Sorry for the late update, but Kayleigh has done quite a bit of drinking the last couple of days. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

 **Chapter Nine**

Edward hadn't spoken a word since starting the car. Every so often, Bella cast a subtle glance his way. He looked distracted. Lost in thoughts unknown to her. Not knowing what to say to bring him out of her reverie, she left him to it.

Bella assumed she'd be a nervous wreck when it came to spending the night with Edward. After all, look at him. A man with Edward's confidence, his masculine looks and sexual aura must be well practiced in the art of sex. Whereas she'd only made love with one man. Jacob.

Her first kiss, her first touch, everything she learned, experienced, when it came to sex involved Jacob. What if Edward didn't enjoy himself? Jacob never uttered a word of complaint but, at that time, he didn't have anyone else to compare her with.

Edward did.

For all those reasons, Bella imagined she'd be a bundle of nerves. Bats flapping around in her stomach instead of butterfly's kind of nervous. To her surprise, she felt calm, confident. Excited. If a few nerves crept in, she dismissed them. She was about to get naked in front of a man for the first time in a year.

Any woman would be nervous.

Pulling up outside the inn, Edward helped her from the car, holding her hand tightly in his, he led her to his room. She sensed the tension pulsing off him but didn't know what to say to put him at ease.

Ushering Bella through the door, Edward felt around for the light switch, flicking it on before closing the door behind them. The room looked a little sparse. It didn't house much furniture besides a king-sized bed, a small television, and a dresser standing in the corner.

Edward stood, slightly shifting restlessly from one foot to the other. "I better check on Angus. I let him race around the park before I picked you up, so he should be spent, but you never know with him. He gets bored easily." He gestured toward the bed. "Make yourself comfortable, I'll only be a few minutes."

Sitting on the mattress, Bella frowned. He sounded strange to her. Formal. She sat, wondering what she could say to put him at ease. Obviously he was nervous, she just didn't understand why. A man like Edward could, and probably did, have any woman he wanted, so why did he appear so nervous now?

"Are you kidding me?" he bellowed, smacking on the light. "I bought you the damn piss matt. Why don't you use it? You used it yesterday, so I know you know what it's for. We've talked about this."

Biting back her amusement at his expense, Bella called out, "Is everything alright?"

Edward grunted. "Yeah. Just a little clean up. Angus, stop that," he hissed.

As Edward continued to grumble about annoying mutts, the dog in question burst through the doorway, heading straight for her.

Snagging him from the floor with ease, she brought him to her chest. Edward's cursing becoming more creative as she nuzzled the puppy. "I think it's best if you hang out with me until he calms down a little." She dropped a kiss on his nose. "Did you leave a mess for daddy to clean up?"

Angus licked her cheek.

Bella heard water running and didn't envy him one bit. She remembered Todd's potty training days. Vividly. Never again. A couple of minutes later, the water shut off and he reappeared. His eyes locked on Angus, who revelled in getting his tummy rubbed. Edward scowled. "Bed," he snapped at the puppy.

Jumping down, Angus glanced back with sorrowful eyes.

Showing no mercy, Edward closed the door behind him.

Leaving the two of them in silence once again.

"A little harsh, don't you think?"

"So is pissing all over the floor," he retorted. "Can I get you something to drink?"

Shaking her head, she stood. "I'm fine, thank you." Bella clasped her hands together, and asked gently, "Edward, are you nervous?"

Shoulder's slumping forward, he exhaled heavily. She imagined him as one of those crazy armed balloons being deflated. "More than I've ever been in my life."

Bella took a step towards him. "Why?"

Edward's eyes, eyes so hot and intense, fastened on hers. "I'm scared I'll do something wrong. Scare you away. Aren't you nervous?"

"A little," she admitted.

"Really?" he asked doubtfully. "You don't look it."

"Maybe I hide it a little better. Or maybe there's just something about you," she added softly.

Edward lips curved into a small smile at her response. "I don't want to mess this up."

"Neither do I," she said, closing the distance between them. Raising her finger to the neckline of his white t-shirt, dipping under the material to graze his heated skin every so often. She felt sexy, powerful even, when he trembled beneath her touch.

"Edward," she spoke his name in a husky whisper. "We care about one another. We want to please one another, right?"

He nodded, his gaze still locked with hers.

"Nothing you do will be wrong. What happens in this room, no matter what we do here, or how, it's ours." Reaching up, lips lightly teasing his neck, she smiled against his warm skin at his sharp intake of breath. "Don't be scared, or nervous. You can't scare me away. I wouldn't be here if I didn't want you. Do you want me?" she asked softly.

"Yes," he rasped out.

Easing back, she challenged, "Then come get me."

Expression turning fierce, carnal, as if his control was an elastic band, finally snapped Edward yanked her into his arms. Bella gasped, her soft curves crushed against his hard muscles. Without waiting, without giving her time to find her balance, he covered her mouth with his.

#

Nothing better, Edward decided, than hearing Bella's small whimper as he took her mouth. He didn't want to go too far too fast, despite what she promised, but his desire for her, to touch, to taste, surpassed mere need.

Palms sliding down her generous curves to cup her scrumptious behind, he squeezed once, his tongue finding hers. This time he whimpered.

Edward's hands moved without conscious thought. Roaming over her body, eager to feel every inch, committing every dip, every mouth-watering curve, to memory.

Bringing his touch forward, he palmed her breast, releasing a growl when she pushed into his touch. The action proving she wanted more, needed it, just as badly as he did.

Dipping his head, he nipped, licked, at her ample breast. Huffing out a growl of frustration when he became aware she still wore her shirt. Stopping him from fulfilling his fantasies.

The clothes had to go.

"Up," he commanded gruffly, tearing his mouth from hers. He'd go slow, Edward promised himself, as soon as she lost every stitch of clothing barring her perfect body from his.

Bella obeyed him, lifting her arms above her head, laughing when he wrestled her out of her t-shirt. He didn't stop there, either. Once he removed her t-shirt, he lowered his hands, shoving her cut-off jeans past her hips until they were a puddle at her feet. Stripping her until she stood before him in nothing but a bra and panties.

He needed a moment to catch his breath. Mentally clutch a hand to his chest at the sheer beauty standing before him.

 _Perfect,_ he thought. Pale skin and luscious curves, her cheeks flushed. Breasts heaving as she fought to catch her breath. Begging him to touch her, to finish what he started, until nothing separated them.

Edward could do that.

With trembling fingers, he reached around her, his gaze holding hers, he unclasped her bra. Shoving the offending material from her body. Bella sucked in a sharp gasp when he hooked a finger into the elastic band of her underwear, using it to bring her even closer.

Moaning when she ran her hands down his back, caressing him, exciting him. Tugging her lace panties down, he then helped her step out of material.

Finally, finally, Bella stood there, gloriously naked in front of him. Beautiful, such a tedious word to describe her. To him, she looked a goddess. Sent to Earth for him only.

Inhaling, he noticed she faintly smelled of burgers, something he found hotter than hell. Edward, a man who loved his food, wanted to eat her whole.

Her eyes, on the ground as she climbed out of the pile of clothing, flew to his. "You're wearing too many clothes."

Edward offered her a challenge of his own this time. "You want to do something about it? Go ahead."

Not as delicate, or patient, as him, Bella tore off his clothes. Chuckling breathlessly, he stood still as she tugged, and yanked. Cursing his height when she found it difficult to push his shirt over his head.

As much as he enjoyed watching her struggle, he wanted them both naked. Now.

Gently, he took her hands in his, removing them from his body. Pressing a hard kiss to her lips at her adorable pout.

In seconds, he stripped, his clothes falling in a heap on the floor next to hers.

Never in his long life, had Edward felt the need to impress a woman with his body before. He didn't hold his breath, worrying his psychical appearance might fail to please her, but this time he did. He felt almost... vulnerable as her gaze flickered over his body, absorbing every inch of him.

When Bella blew out a slow, unsteady breath, he grinned. "You better have protection, Campbell. Because we're going to need it. A lot of it."

Just like that, his body burned for her.

"Get on the bed," he growled. He couldn't touch her, not yet. He'd erupt on the spot if he did. Unacceptable. He wanted come inside her. To ride her long and hard before he allowed either of them release.

If Bella touched him, if she continued to look at his dick as if it were her favorite flavor of candy, it would be over before it even began.

With a knowing grin, she pulled away, perfect breasts swaying with the movement, Edward almost swallowing his tongue as she lowered herself onto the mattress. Slowly moving to the bedside table, his eyes on her, he pulled out a box of condoms he purchased the day after he gave in and kissed her.

Her dark hair fanned around her face, Bella spotted the size of the box and commented wryly, "You're ambitious."

"I thought we might need a lot of them." Casually, as if she didn't watch every move he made, he ripped open the packet, covering himself. Wishing it was her hands on his hot flesh, promising himself next time, it would be. Bella licked her lips, destroying him.

Next time, he vowed, he'd place the pack in her small, capable hands. Have her do it for him. Pushing the image of her fingers stroking him from his mind, he'd waited long enough for this woman, he refused to spoil it now.

"Come here," she demanded, her voice thick with arousal.

Needing her desperately, he crawled over the bed. The weight of his body pushing her back against the mattress.

Fingers biting into his shoulders, Bella urged him closer. God help him, those long, silky legs wrapping around his hips. Her heart pounding against chest, his every instinct demanding he sink into her. Pound into her wet heat until he found oblivion.

He wouldn't. The woman beneath him was more than a willing woman he used to slake his thirst.

With Bella, he didn't want to rush, he wanted to linger. Instead of racing to the finish line, he planned to savour every moment.

Strange for a man like him, who walked away from his every conquest without a backward glance, to feel this way toward a woman now. Edward supposed a man felt different, wanted different things, when it came to _his_ woman.

"Please," she whispered. "Touch me. Kiss me. Do _something_."

She begged so prettily, he thought, lowering his head. He'd never been a fan of the missionary position before. Too dull, mundane, he believed. Now, he craved the feel her succulent body beneath his, her soft breasts crushed to his hard chest. To stare into her sexy eyes as he pleasured her.

Edward finally got to bring to life one of his many fantasy's. Trailing his tongue slowly up her body, tracing a line along the valley of her breasts, she gasped his name and he felt like a king. Like a god, when she trembled beneath him, her nails digging into his skin, silently demanded more.

Edward gave her more.

Positioning his shaft against her, he rocked his hips. Both moaning at the fire he created. He teased her, his lips brushing her breast, his tongue slipping out to circle her aroused nipple. She whimpered, her back arching off the mattress, giving herself to him.

"Edward. Please."

He refused her, continuing to play her body like a violin. His mouth at her breast, hips grinding against hers, the sounds of her moans filled the quiet room.

When she begged, demanded, he give her what she wanted, he replaced his hips with his hand, stroking her. He found her hot and wet, and ready for him. Edward silently thanked the heavens. Her body ready for his, he gave them what they both so desperately needed.

Gaze locked on hers, he pushed inside her, clenching his eyes shut against the pleasure rocketing through his body. Electric shot through his veins, a pleasure bordering on pain, he never wanted it to end.

Forcing his eyes open, Edward watched her. She moved restlessly beneath him, trapped beneath him, no choice but lay back, accept what he gave her. Her legs, wrapped around his body, tightened, forcing him closer.

"Please." One word, a husky plea, broke his control.

Edward slammed into her. Relishing her cry of pleasure, he thrust into her again. Head tossed back, red hair stark against white sheets, and eyes closed in ecstasy, he burned the image into his mind. Sweat trickling down his temples, his back, he rode her the way they both wanted.

"Please, Edward. Harder," she begged.

Dropping his head onto her shoulder, he pounded into her over and over, her helpless moans music to his ears.

Fingernails cutting into his skin, Bella cried out her release. His name on her lips, he thrust faster, harder, dragging out her pleasure until she fell back against the sheets. Her arms clutching him to her as he sought his own release.

Seconds later, he followed.

Collapsing on top of her with a grunt, he somehow found the energy to brush a lazy kiss across her cheek. Practically purring when she lifted her hand, combing back his damp hair.

 _It's her,_ he thought, looking deeply into her soft eyes. Only Bella, no one else, gave him such pleasure. As they lay on his bed, sated, tangled up together, no one else existed. Her sister, his men, his duty, or even the half-truths they told each other, none of it mattered.

He'd found her, the woman who belonged to him, and he intended to keep her. Content, he shifted, finding her lips once more.

#

Early morning light streaming through the window woke Bella. Slowly, she opened her eyes, observing dust notes playing the air. A small smile curling her lips at the sound of Edward's soft snoring.

Wrapped up in his warm embrace, Bella wished to freeze time. Stay here, in this room, in Edward's arms, forever. The room quiet, the world around them still. She didn't want to leave this bed. Return to the loud, brash world.

Edward's arms tightened, his palm cupping her breast. Even in his sleep he appeared obsessed with her breasts. Turning her head, Bella brushed her lips across his chest. She liked his hairy chest, she decided. Liked stroking her fingers over the swell of his muscles, down the planes of his rock hard stomach. Bella shuffled, turning to snuggle closer. Lifting her hand from beneath the covers to caress his cheek, she traced the line of his lips. His lips puckered, pressing a sleepy kiss to her fingertips before sinking back into his deep slumber.

A heavy sleeper, she now knew. In the small hours of the morning, she got up to pee, stumbling over discarded clothes laying on the floor, crashing to the ground with a thud. He didn't so much as stir. Angus, escaping from the bathroom, jumped on the bed, pouncing on his sleeping master. Edward didn't twitch.

Bella wanted to believe she wore him out but doubted it. More like the other way around. After their first, perfect, time together, and a little resting period for him, he was insatiable. Gone were his nerves, his fear of doing something to scare her away, the man took her over and over again, for as long as he wanted, however he wanted. And, god, she'd loved every second of it.

As a lover, Edward was in turns wild and tender. They spent hours exploring each other's bodies, discovering what the other liked, where to touch, to taste, to bring them higher.

Bella grimaced at the slight discomfort between her thighs. Last night she used muscles she forgot she possessed. And she used them a lot. It didn't help Edward turned her into a sex crazed woman, begging him, demanding him to take her faster, harder.

Eager for him to wake up, to start all over again, she considered a little discomfort worth it to get a lot of pleasure.

Before she got the chance to use her womanly wiles to show Edward she knew something to do in this bed much better than sleeping, a hard, masculine voice entered her mind.

 _"_ _Clara, I will be making my annual visit this coming Sunday. Please make yourself available_."

His voice disappeared from her mind quickly, like always. Clara, she thought, the name her birth parents gave her. He refused to call her anything else.

Bella snickered quietly at his tone. He spoke to her telepathically like most did when leaving a voicemail message.

Excited about his upcoming visit, content in Edward's arms, she closed her eyes, drifting back to sleep. Then, on the edge between awake and sleep, something occurred to her.

Bella's eyes snapped open. Panicked, her mind racing, fear banishing her previous feeling of contentment.

Carlisle would visit her home this Sunday. He'd find Jessica, go ballistic upon discovering they'd gone behind his back, breaking his rules by being together.

If Carlisle found Jessica in Higgins, he'd force her to leave. Jessica may be strong, but Carlisle was stronger.

Carefully, she detangled herself from Edward's embrace, and rolled out of bed, searching for her clothes. She didn't want to leave, especially without waking him, but she didn't have time to explain. Or come up with yet another lie. Despising herself for the lies she that would spill from her lips when he questioned why she left without waking him, but she didn't know what else to do. No one, not even Edward, could know about Jessica.

She'd think of something, Bella assured herself. Right now, she needed to get home. and warn Jessica.

#

Groaning, Edward blinked against the glare of beaming rays of sunshine threatening to blind him. He must have forgotten to close the drapes last night, too focused on his red headed beauty.

Reaching out, he frowned. The sheets beside him were cool, the bed empty where Bella should be. Immediately, the worst entered his mind. She regretted all they'd done last night, and most of this morning, and left without waking him.

Edward shot up, prepared to throw the covers back, jump from the bed and track her down, when he spotted her.

"What are you doing?" he demanded, cocking his head to the side as she wiggled her sexy ass into cut-off jeans.

Bella winced. A little flustered, she replied, "I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't." A bit of wiggling didn't wake him. In truth, a chainsaw couldn't wake him. When his head hit the pillow, he was out. "What are you doing?" he repeated.

Bella blew her hair out of her face. "I've got to get home. I didn't mean to stay this long. I have to feed Todd. A package is supposed to get delivered this morning. You know what they're like, if you're not at the door the first time they knock, they leave. And even though I paid for next day delivery, I'll have to go down to the post office, collect it because they can't wait for, like, five seconds on a doorstep," she rambled.

"Wow," he mumbled under his breath. He'd never heard anyone rant about a delivery before.

Edward frowned. She wouldn't meet his gaze. Not out of embarrassment, he sensed.

 _She's lying to me_ , he realized, leaning his naked back against the cool wooden headboard.

Bella stood there, lying to his face about her reasons for heading home. Last night she told him she wanted to stay here forever. Talked of spending the day together. Not once mentioning a delivery, or her cat. The line about not meaning to stay so long? Bullshit.

Edward believed he knew Bella pretty well by now. He knew why she felt the need to lie to him, especially after all they shared the night before. Her sister.

He wanted to curse. To tug back into bed, yank those cut-off jeans down her milky thighs, and pretend this huge fucking lie didn't stand between them. He might not have much experience when it came to relationships, but he knew lies would only damage them in the long run.

Edward needed help. He knew only one man who'd listen to his story without judging him. Or betraying him.

"Okay," he subsided. As soon as she left, he'd be able to make a much needed phone call. After wracking his brains for weeks, trying to come up with a way to destroy her sister without losing Bella, he had jack-shit. As much as he thirsted for the witches head on a stick, he couldn't make a move until he found a way of doing so without losing Bella in the process.

Maybe, after this talk, he'd find the answers he sought.

"Give me a second to get dressed. I'll drive you home," he offered.

Shaking her head in refusal, she stepped into her shoes. "I've already called a cab." Holding up her ringing phone, she flashed a strained smile. "See? It's outside."

Rushing over, she grabbed his face, planting one of hell of a kiss on his lips. "I'll call you."

He scowled. "I thought we were going to spend the day together?" He winced. He sounded like the many women he bedded in the past. Women he walked away from after he'd finished, never to look back.

"We will. I'll only be a couple of hours. Then we can do whatever you like. For the whole day. Not that," she said when he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. She winked. "Well, maybe that. Bye." She blew him a kiss and left.

The door slamming shut behind her, Edward sagged back against the pillows. He needed to sort things out before all they shared were lies. While he stood a chance of coming out of this mess with Bella in his life.

Snatching up his phone, he scrolled through the list of names, quickly finding the contact he needed. Pressing call, he waiting anxiously for his friend to pick up.

Seconds later, he answered. "'Lo?"

"Drake? You got a minute to talk? I've got a problem. I need your help."

Drake reacted the way he always did when things got real. Sarcastic nerd disappearing, in his place a seasoned Warrior, ready for battle. "Tell me everything."

#

"Jessica? Jessica?" Bella yelled, bursting through her front door. The wooden panel snapped back from the wall and into Bella, almost sending her toppling back. Ignoring the pain racketing through her shoulder, she moved forward. Frantic eyes scanning each room as she flew through the house. "Jessica, get your ass out here."

"What is it?" Jessica demanded, appearing at the top of the staircase. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" Bella echoed in disbelief. "I've been trying to reach you. Through the phone, through our link. Nothing. Why didn't you answer me?"

Annoyance pinched her twin's features. "I didn't hear you. I'm a little hung-over. I drank a little too much wine last night. Alone," she added sharply.

"I told you, I always work on our birthday," Bella defended herself, guilt seeping in. She spent her birthday with Edward, enjoying herself like never before, while Jessica sat in the house. Alone. Her face fell. "I'm sorry."

Jessica dismissed her apology with a wave of her hand. Her eyes glazing over, Bella felt her sister rifling through her mind, searching for reason behind her obvious distress, she guessed

"Shit," she snarled.

Bella chuffed out a laugh. "You can say that again. What are we going to do?"

Jessica bit her lip. "Nothing," she said decisively. "Why should we hide? We've done nothing wrong." She walked unhurriedly down the stairs. "Besides, we're grown women, we don't answer to him anymore."

"He's Carlisle," Bella said, as if her words explained everything. To her, they did.

Carlisle, blessed with immortality and immense strength, he possessed an array of abilities. A quiet man, his beautiful features belonging on a priceless painting, instead of being hidden away in his secluded home. When Carlisle walked into a room, people saw a handsome face, an elegantly dressed, courteous man. They didn't see the predator lurking beneath. They failed to sense the tremendous power clinging to him like a second skin.

"Yes, he's Carlisle," her twin agreed. "But he's still just a man, Bella. If we worked together, he'd be no match for us."

Bella flinched, recoiling at the very thought of what Jessica implied. "Hurt him? Never. I'd never use my gifts to hurt anyone, especially him. We owe him too much."

Jessica paused, her dark eyes meeting her sisters soberly. "Do you want me to leave?" she asked quietly.

"No," Bella insisted instantly. "Never. That's the last thing I want. But we can't go against him. He sacrificed a lot to help us. We can't use our gifts to hurt him. I won't."

Raking her fingers through soft tresses, Jessica tapped her bare foot against the floor. She stood there for some time, thinking.

A moment later, her foot stilled. "I know what to do."

#

"The basement?" Bella demanded incredulously, following her sister. The old staircase creaking with every step.

"Yes, the basement. I used a spell once. It's a like a ward of sorts, only instead of keeping magical beings out, I'll reword it. Change a few ingredients. If done correctly, I should be able to hide magical being's inside here. It's perfect. No windows, only one way in and out. It's the easiest way for me to disappear while he's here."

Bella bit her lip and walked over to her piano. Absently, trailing her fingers along the keys. "Are you sure it will work?"

"I am," she replied confidently. "He'll never know I'm here. Carlisle will come, you'll talk, grab a bite to eat. I'll be down here, hidden away, with a bottle of wine and a good book. Carlisle will leave, none the wiser. I promise. When he's gone, everything can return to normal. It's the only thing I can think of that doesn't involve confronting Carlisle, or my leaving. I'll just need a few ingredients, and I'm good to go."

Bella nodded. She liked this plan a hell of a lot more than a confrontation. Or her sister leaving forever. "I can pick them up."

"I'll want to do a few practice tests. How humiliating would it be if he discovered me due to a wrongly worded spell? Used an owl feather instead of an eagle. I need to look up the list of ingredients, but as soon as I know, I'll let you know what I'll need."

"Okay."

With that settled, they stood, surrounded by Bella's instruments, both at a loss of what to say. They'd never fought before, neither one knew how to take the first steps in fixing thing's.

Bella took the first step.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here last night," she murmured.

Jessica shrugged. "It's okay. I understood."

Walking over, Bella lowered herself on to the basement stairs. "It's not okay. I was too busy, too worried about my own feelings, it didn't occur to me you might be sitting here, alone, on our birthday."

Jessica sat down next to her, their shoulders brushing. "It's okay," she repeated, softly this time. "I'm sorry about the other night. I shouldn't have shoved what happened in your face. I know how you feel about the darker side of my personality, and I used it to hurt you. It's unforgiveable."

Bella bumped her shoulder, a small smile playing on her lips. "It's not unforgiveable."

Jessica shifted, wrapping an arm around Bella, giving them both the physical contact they desired. "I think, sometimes, we forget that while we look the same, we're not. When it comes down to it, we're oil and water. It's not all down to the curse, either. Though, it's a factor. We're just different."

Bella thought about it. "You're right. We are different." She laced their fingers together. "I'm sorry for judging you."

Jessica squeezed gently. "I'm sorry I said all those things. I made you relive it because I got defensive. How about this? We go back to our old policy. You don't ask, I don't tell. It's worked for years."

Bella didn't know what would happen on Sunday, or tomorrow for that matter. She didn't want to fight with her sister if they only had a limited amount of day's left with one another. Wasting precious time on something neither could change.

"I think it's a good idea. I don't like fighting with you."

"Neither do I. Let's not do it again," Jessica suggested.

"Okay," she agreed. "I wonder if we'd take our fight as seriously if we grew up together."

Jessica pursed her lips. "I don't know. Maybe."

"I remember a family who used to lived next door to us. Three teenagers under one roof. Constantly shouting at each other. Calling each other names, yelling how much they hated one another. I wonder, without the curse, if we'd be the same."

Sadness clouded her eyes. "Sadly, little sister, we'll never find out."

"I'd like to think we would. Scream at each other for hogging the bathroom in the morning before school. Bitch about you for wearing my jeans. Not that I'd fit into yours in any reality," she muttered. "Fight constantly growing up, so when something like yesterday happened, we'd brush it off. Think it normal to fight, then make up, because we'd done it so many times before."

"I guess so." They sat. Bella picturing a future with their birth parents, normal teenagers, with normal problems.

"So," Jessica began suggestively. "How did last night go?"

Bella beamed, grateful for the change of subject. "He got me this," she said showing off her charm. "He also got me a CD of Sam Cooke's greatest hits. It's in my purse. He said you can't beat the legend."

Jessica's brow furrowed. "As in _Twistin' The Night Away_? Isn't that yours and Jacob's song?"

"Yep," she replied.

"Ahhh. Looks like our boy Edward's got a jealous streak. Good," she said with a satisfied nod.

Bella scrunched her nose, puzzled. "How is it good? Jealous people are supposedly insecure and possessive."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Jessica replied firmly. "Unless he becomes violent or take's a left turn into stalker territory, there is nothing wrong with a little jealousy. Or your man feeling possessive of you. Picture this, you're in a bar with a guy your dating when a random man hits on you. Do you want them to shrug it off? No," she answered for her. "You want him to go a little caveman every now and then. It's hot."

"Or creepy," Bella tossed back.

Jessica rolled her eyes. "Trust me, if you came to the dark side, you'd see jealousy isn't always such a bad thing."

"Perhaps," she allowed. "But thanks to our uncle, and his pesky little curse, I am forbidden to feel hatred, resentment, bitterness… pretty much anything violent. I'm a lover, not a fighter," she teased. "Plus, as you stated, I've never experienced jealousy. I'm basically the perfect girlfriend. The perfect person, if you count my dazzling personality."

"I see the obnoxious trait managed to slip by unnoticed," Jessica commented.

"Shut up," she ordered, nudging her sister.

"Not nice. You're the good one. The perfect sister, while, supposedly, I'm a psychotic bitch?"

"No, you're definitely a psychotic bitch," she agreed with a snicker. "Everyone thinks so. That's why you're here, remember?"

"I do. We're getting off topic. Tell me about last night."

Her insides turning to mush, Bella remembered everything about the night before, and then, waking up in his arms. Perfect. "I was in back, reorganising the mess some monster created in our dry store room."

"Dry store room?"

"Yeah. Jess asked me to go in, clean it up. After a while, she came back in, asking me to deal with a customer. I thought it a little strange, but I went out with my sweetest smile plastered on my face. That's when I saw him…" she trailed off in a whisper.

Bella told her everything. Her voice soft and dreamy, she shared with her what he said, that she mattered. It may not be romantic poetry, or a declaration of his everlasting love, but it meant everything to her.

"Afterwards?" Her sister prompted when she fell silent. Gaping as Bella's cheeks flooded. "I knew it, you slept with him. Don't bothering denying it. You're blushing!"

Hands covering her heated face, Bella groaned. Dropping them back to her lap, she nodded. "Fine. Yes, I slept with him."

"Details," Jessica demanded.

"No," she objected. "I'm not going into the dirty details with you. It's private."

Jessica narrowed her eyes. "I'll find out for myself," she threatened.

Bella paled. "Don't you dare. We agreed the day you lost your virginity, when I became scarred for life, there are certain lines we cannot cross."

Jessica pouted. "Fine. At least tell me this, did you have a good time?"

"The best time," she confirmed softly. Whenever she thought back to their date, their lovemaking, she floated on her cloud once again.

"Was he… gentle?" she finished with a squeak, struggling to contain her laughter. Most likely due to her corny question, Bella thought.

Rolling her eyes, she replied boldly. "Maybe I didn't want gentle."

Jessica's jaw dropped. "Oh, come on, you can't say a thing like that, then expect me to keep my mouth shut," she protested. "I always took you for a slow and tender, kind of girl. That's what you claimed when you were with Jacob."

Bella thought back to her sexual experience up until last night. "I did, didn't I? Well, let's just say Edward opened my eyes. He showed me how much fun sex could be. I learned a lot about myself last night."

Jessica nodded in approval. "You felt comfortable enough with him to experience something new, different. Good for you."

Bella hadn't thought of it that way. "Yeah. I knew I could do anything, ask for anything without it feeling wrong or dirty. Does that make sense?"

"Yes, it does. He made you feel safe with him. Good. You know, I'm starting to like this guy more and more every day."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N Hi guys! Sorry for the late update. My computer wouldn't allow me on the internet for some reason. Anyway, thanks for the love shown so far. I hope you enjoy the chapter.**

 **Chapter Ten**

Lying back on rumpled sheets, Edward pressed his face against Bella's pillow, inhaling deeply, he took in her scent into his lungs. He missed her already. His body stirring at the memories of all they'd done the night before, he wanted her again.

Hopefully, Edward thought, he'd be able to convince her to come home with him tonight.

Over the phone, Jasper released an impatient grunt. "Dude, I can't help you if you refuse to tell me what's wrong. Talk," he commanded.

Edward squared his jaw, mentally preparing for what might be a really ugly conversation. "Okay, but this is between you and me. You can't share this with anyone else. Especially Emmett."

"Give me a second." The line went quiet. A minute later, his voice returned. "Okay, now I can talk."

"Carmen?"

"Yeah, but I'm alone now. You can talk. I promise, on our friendship, whatever you tell me, I'll take it to the grave."

Air rushed from Edward's lungs in relief. Jasper would listen, help him find a way out of the mess he'd gotten himself into. If Jasper promised to keep his mouth shut, he meant it. Anything he shared with his friend would remain between the two of them. Edward trusted his brother to protect his secret.

"I slept with Bella Stevens last night," he blurted out.

Jasper sucked in a breath so sharp he choked. Coughing loudly until he regained enough composure to demand, "Are you insane? What were you thinking? Fuck me, Ed. I didn't think you'd ever sink so low. You're not Mike, or the others, you know better than to nail the enemy," he snarled.

"It's not like that," he shot back. "I'm in a relationship with her." He hesitated. "I have feelings for her."

"Oh, please dear god, don't say it. Don't say it."

"I care about her."

"Oh. Fuck. Me." Jasper smacked his lips, something he did when agitated. "Dude, what were you thinking?" he repeated.

Edward closed his eyes against the disappointment in his brother's voice. It made him feel like a pussy to even think it, but Jaspers words, his obvious disgust, hurt. "Believe me, I tried to stop it. I've spent the last few weeks trying to convince myself what I feel for her means nothing. It didn't work. I can't stop it. There's something about her, Jasper. I can't resist her. I don't want to," he forced out his dark secret.

"You sound like a _woman_ , you know that? Emmett is going to go ape shit when he finds out. For Christ sake, Edward, if he decides you've betrayed the Bràthaireil, he'll burn you. You are aware of this, right? You've seen what they do to traitors."

Edward flinched. Yes, he'd seen enough to know exactly what his people would do to him. Stripped of his connection to the Bràthaireil, of his rank, beaten, branded, and burned before his people. His punishment, his execution, performed swiftly. Brutally. He'd known it all along, and yet...

Edward rubbed his hand roughly over his jaw, his heavy stubble scraping his palm. "Yes, I'm aware. I've done nothing but berate myself for the way I feel. My punishment, your disgust, is nothing compared to what I've thought about myself recently. I hate myself for this, Jasper. You're right, I do know better than to nail the enemy. I didn't think I was that kind of man. But she's not the enemy," he insisted. "Her sister is."

"Yes. I'm aware of that. I assumed you'd forgotten," Jasper snarled. "You know, perhaps it slipped your mind while you were shagging Bella Stevens!"

"Watch it," Edward warned icily. Dangerously. "I know I've messed up. I'm knee deep in shit right now, but don't talk about her like that."

Jasper said nothing for so long, Edward feared he'd been hung up on. His brother too furious to continue their conversation. "Holy Jesus, you're serious about this," he breathed, appalled. "If you're willing to risk your reputation, your life, you must really care for."

Edward grimaced. "Trust me, it came as a shock to me, too."

"What are you going to do?"

Edward made a face. "Why do you think I'm calling you? The witch is here, with Bella. I haven't seen her, but the way Bella reacted when I suggested going to her house, it told me she's in her house. My gut is telling me the same thing."

"But if you make a move on the house, on the sister, you'll lose Bella," Jasper finished.

Edward lips curved into a bleak smile. Jasper understood. "Exactly. I can't lose her, Jasper. I know I should back off, walk away, but I can't. I tried to fight it, I tried to keep her at arm's length, I truly did." He needed to find a way to make his friend understand.

Jasper drawled, "I believe you. You're the most straight-up man I know. You took me off guard before, but I know you. When you say you tried, I believe you."

"Thank you," he replied quietly. "For believing me. For not judging me."

"Oh, I'm judging the shit out of you," he retorted bluntly. "Love or no love,-"

"Wait," Edward interrupted. "Who said anything about love?" He didn't love her. He'd only known her a handful of weeks. He couldn't love her. He had enough problems without adding love into the mix.

Jasper huffed. "You're not risking your life, your family, if you only _like_ her, jackass."

"It's too soon," he protested. Way too soon. Even as he thought it, Edward realized he still held on to the pillow she used, breathing in her sweet scene even as he denied having deeper feeling's for her.

"Dude, I've never been in love, but I don't think there's a time limit. Not when it comes to stuff like this."

 _Do I love her?_ Edward wondered, thinking back to the first time he saw her, cold, soaked, muttering to herself in the middle of a storm. She'd made him smile that day. Looking back over their time together, he realized something changed in him during their very first conversation on her porch. Deepening over time until she'd become... everything.

"Fuck," he hissed.

"I know," Jasper agreed, sounding highly amused. "Anyway, back to my point, no matter what, you're still sleeping with the enemy. We all know how that movie ended, my friend. With a bullet to the head for her husband, and like, at least a concussion for her next-door neighbour."

"Jasper."

"Sorry." He huffed out a frustrated breath. "I'm sorry, dude, but whatever I come up with, it always ends in tears."

That's the last thing he wanted to hear. He called Jasper for help. If his brainy friend couldn't think of a way to fix this mess, what chance did Edward have? "What are you thinking?"

"Hmm. Well, your best shot is to kidnap Bella." Okay, Edward took back the brainy part. "Keep her safe, somewhere out of the way, while we destroy the witch. Perhaps find someone with the ability of mind control, plant new memories in her head. You walk back into her life, she's none the wiser. Happily ever after, my man."

Rolling his eyes towards the heavens, already knowing he wouldn't like the answer, he asked, "What's the worst possible outcome?"

"You want the truth? I'm glad you found someone, Ed, I am, but let's be honest, this won't end well. You are a Warrior. Your job, your duty, is to stop those who are a threat to humans and magical beings alike. You say the witch is in Higgins, you've completed your mission. Now, whether you like it or not, your job is to take her out. She hurt's people. She tortured our brother. She can't be allowed to live."

Jasper's words hit him like a sucker punch to the stomach, forcing him to face the cold, hard, truth. Something he gladly ignored since clapping eyes on Bella Stevens.

"I know."

"I want to brush this off. Make a stupid joke. Use my awesome sense of humour to bring a little levity to the situation. Help you breathe a little easier. You've got no idea how much I want to do that. But I can't," he said regretfully. "If you allow the witch to live, Ed, to roam free, killing innocent people, you won't be able to forgive yourself. I know you. You're a good man, with a good heart. You won't be able to live with the guilt. You'd have blood on your hands." Jasper cleared his throat. "If you do the right thing, what you intended to do from the beginning, I can't see a way of Bella forgiving you. For lying to her, using her. Murdering her twin sister."

Like before, Jasper spoke nothing but the truth. After years of being alone, no one to call his own, only his brothers as companions, he'd finally found someone he wanted for himself. And he couldn't keep her.

His heart clenching painfully in his chest. Rubbing the heel of his hand against his chest, Edward gritted his teeth against the agony, wondering if this is what heartbreak felt like.

No wonder Tanya hated him.

"I hoped," he croaked. "I hoped I'd find a way to have it all. Take out the witch without losing Bella."

Jasper's rumble of laughter echoed down the phone. "I'm sorry, dude, but I find that hysterical. You cannot come back from this. You can't murder her sister and stand a chance in hell of earning her forgiveness. Curse or no curse, there are some things you just can't come back from. I'm sorry."

"I know you are." His stupid heart rebelling at the idea of losing her, he asked hopefully, "So, do you know a mind controlling witch?"

Jasper snickered. "I'll see what I can do. I do think there might be someone who could help you. Someone who may just be able to save your ass."

"Who?" He demanded, sitting up straight.

"Emmett. Talk to him. Ask for his help."

Edward slumped back against the pillows. "I can't do that."

"I know he's our boss, but he's also your friend. If he can help in any way, he will."

"Please," Edward scoffed. "He'd be at Bella's door before I finished the sentence."

"Or he might just surprise you. You've got a lot of friends in high places, Ed2. Friends who are willing to do you a favour. Go to them, ask for help. I can't help you when it comes to this, but others might."

"I don't know if I'm willing to risk it. I don't just risk hurting her feelings, Jasper. I risk losing her. You're right, I lied to her, used her. How can I be sure, even with some magical fix, she won't walk away from me?"

"You don't. It's a risk. Look, take some time. Think it over. Only you and I know the truth. Think about this, then follow my advice. Talk to Emmett. Have I ever let you down?"

"No," he answered grudgingly. Not once, in all the years they'd known one another, had Jasper ever let him down.

"Exactly. I am made of stupendousness. Trust me."

"Is that even a word?"

"Don't question me, bro. Listen to me. Think about it okay?"

"I will," he promised.

"Good. Now, go away. I think, if I'm fast enough, I can get back to my room, get in one more round with Carmen before she sneaks off to her bedroom. It's so funny, dude. At night, she can't keep her hands off me, but during the day she acts as if I'm invisible."

"Sound's hilarious."

"It is. When she comes to me at night, she feels so guilty. I let her. I also let her please me in various ways to make up for it."

"When really you couldn't give a shit if she spoke to you in the day, because you've got more important things on your mind. Like reading your online fan theories."

"Exactly. Catch you later, bro."

Feeling somewhat better after finally sharing his secret, he hung up.

By keeping his mouth shut, Edward thought, he held power over the situation. If he took Jasper's advice, asked Emmett for help, he'd lose control. Emmett would most likely declare war on the witch. Bella potentially hurt, or killed, in the crossfire.

No. Going to Emmett could only be a last resort. He'd call his boss if there was no other way.

 _Please,_ he prayed. _Let there be another way._

#

With a violent slash of her hand over the bowl of water, Carmen banished the image of Jasper in his bathroom from sight.

Edward Campbell in love with a witch?

Carmen hadn't heard the entire conversation, but she gained enough information.

She woke to find Jasper gone. Strange, usually she tip-toed out of the room while he slept. Call it intuition, or curiosity, but something made her reach for the nearest bowl, filling it with water. A trick she mastered over the years, she conjured his image in the clear liquid within seconds.

Spying on Jasper's conversation, Edward's rumbling voice coming through loud and clear, her jaw dropped in disbelief. Edward, the infamous Warrior, a man who callously shattered Tanya's heart, claimed to love the sister of a monster. Believed her worth the risk to his reputation, his life. She knew how the Bràthaireil dealt with those who betrayed them. Their brand of justice brutal, bloody. Yet, he'd sacrifice his life, the name he created for himself, for the cursed sister of a beast he currently hunted.

Any other time, it might appeal to the romantic within her, but Edward injured her friend. He used Tanya for sex, then discarded her like a used tissue. He knew she wanted more, knew she loved him, yet walked away without a single thought for the woman he left behind. Who loved him even to this day.

 _He deserves everything coming to him_ , Carmen thought, her lips firming into a hard line.

She wanted to run to Emmett, the commander of the Bràthaireil, but forced herself to stop. To think.

No, running to Emmett wouldn't work, she realized. He wouldn't believe her. He'd call her a liar. And from what she gathered from their conversation, her ex-lover intended to help his friend. He'd agree with Emmett, claim she made the whole thing up, to protect his friend's secret.

Glowering at the bowl in her hands, she pictured his smirking face. The little prick made her feel like crap for using him. Well, that ended now.

Pulling on her dress, hiding the bowl away, she quickly exited his room. Making sure no one saw her, of course. She didn't want everyone aware of the fact she'd been screwing the oddest member of the Bràthaireil.

Carmen rushed along the wide hallways until she reached the other side of the house. Finally arriving at the bedroom she shared with Tanya.

Stepping inside, she found her sister in everything but blood, sitting on her bed, combing her long blond hair. Edward preferred a frumpy little bitch over a beauty like Tanya? No accounting for taste, she supposed.

Carmen remembered the night Tanya knocked at her door, tears flowing down her cheeks. Tanya told her everything. From the start of the affair, to the end, when he ended their relationship so cruelly.

Now Tanya would get her revenge. Hurt the man who treated her with such disregard to this day. Petty, she knew, but didn't care. He not only hurt her sister, he betrayed them all with his lies. Caring for the sister, plotting a way to get everything he wanted, despite the crimes he planned to commit against his people...

Edward would to pay for his sins.

"What is it?" Tanya demanded. "Why are you staring at me?"

Carmen smirked. "I have some news for you. You're going to love it."

#

Two days after her birthday, Bella remained on her cloud of happiness. What did she have to complain about? She spent most the last forty-eight hours with man who made her heart flutter in her chest and her body tremble. On top of that, things between her and Jessica were better than ever. Since their heart to heart, the curse, and all it represented, wasn't such an issue anymore.

Everything now out in the open, they knew where the other stood. They'd never agree on certain things, but if it meant staying in each other's lives, they'd talk it through, and find a compromise. Try their best not to judge the other for their actions.

The day before, Bella collected the ingredients on Jessica's list, watching her sister with interest as she chanted in a language she'd never heard before. Chanting over, Louse hung herbs along the doorway, burning an incense throughout the house, while Bella gagged at the foul stench.

Bella doubted burning a stick could hide her twin's presence from Carlisle, but Jessica's confidence in the results never wavered. Sunday would go by without a hitch, she promised.

Bella's anxiety rose as the day drew closer. She didn't want to lie to Carlisle, or hide thing's from him, but the idea of losing her sister, waiting another twenty-eight years before they saw each other again… No. She refused. If the only way to keep them together meant lying to the man who loved them, protected them, then so be it.

In the meantime, Bella went to work, spent time with her sister, making up for almost three decades of separation. And she fell a little deeper for Edward Campbell with each passing moment.

When Bella realized how deep her feelings for him ran, it didn't frighten her, or shock her to her very core. A bolt of lightning didn't strike her one day as they strolled hand in hand down the street. The knowledge came to her like a soft, cool breeze on a hot summer's day. Refreshing, and more than welcome.

Sometimes, when he looked at her with his heart in his eyes, she wanted to tell him everything. To put an end to the lies she created. But every time she parted her lips to the speak the words, she choked.

Bella believed Jacob loved her. He asked her to spend the rest of her life with him, but his love hadn't been enough. He'd known her almost his entire life, yet he'd refused to accept her.

What if Edward reacted the same way? What if this kind, sweet, dreamy man, couldn't handle it? Stood with a horrified expression on his face, flinching at her touch? Told her to leave?

No, she couldn't risk it. She'd rather enjoy the now, with the hope that, someday, he might accept her. Better to dream, than to know the truth and get her heart torn in two. Again.

Tonight, Edward asked her to join him on a moonlit picnic. Another cliché he wanted to try out, he told her. Who was she to deny him the chance to romance the pants off her?

His words, not hers.

The last couple of nights were eye opening for Bella. With Jacob, the sex was good. Great, even. Bella assumed she'd never feel so comfortable with a man again. Feared she'd never reach the same levels of intimacy with anyone other than Jacob.

Edward happily proved her wrong.

Jacob mostly enjoyed one position; him on top while she tried to find to find a seductive way of telling him to get off her hair. He liked her to act sexy, but only to a certain degree. After all, she was his childhood friend, his future wife. The future mother of his children. The mother of his children didn't talk dirty or play footsie beneath the table during a double date.

Jacob hadn't been eager to handcuff his future wife to the bed while he drove her out of her mind. Or encouraged her to speak of her deepest, darkest fantasies in the bedroom.

Edward did. He took her to new heights. Encouraged her to try new things, embrace her sexuality.

No threesomes with men, of course, he'd added roughly. Even someone as sexually liberated as Edward drew the line at that. She frowned, questioning if he'd be more open to a threesome if another woman was involved, dreading his response. She didn't want anyone else, only him. But if he wanted to bring another woman into the bedroom, she needed to know now. No way in hell could he fantasise about other women, possibly suggest inviting one over, and forbid her from doing the same.

Edward looked puzzled, wondering aloud why he'd want anyone else. He didn't need another woman to excite him during sex, he claimed. He enjoyed the intimacy. Knowing he could do, or ask, for anything and she trusted him to make sure she enjoyed it. That's what turned him on, thrilled him, he added, not multiple partners.

Bella still didn't believe him. What man didn't want a threesome? When she voiced that thought the night before, he flipped her onto her back, tied her hands above her head, and set about proving to her there was only one woman he wanted.

Every time with him felt like the first time. He drove her out of her mind, pushed her so high she feared she'd die from pleasure. In a few short day's he'd become a drug she would never dream of kicking. Bella finally understood why people were so obsessed with sex.

 _He better bring a blanket_ , she thought, picturing the two of them sitting on the cold, hard ground. The idea of getting naked in the middle of nowhere, with all kinds of tiny insects directly beneath her, made her skin crawl.

Tonight's location may be a surprise, but Edward allowed her to tag along when selecting the menu. Bella didn't care, she'd eat anything put in front of her, but she did, however, like strolling hand in hand with him the grocery store where he asked her out.

"We can't bring ice cream on a picnic," he objected.

"Why not?" She loved ice cream.

"Because you'll only eat half of it. Then it's going to melt all over the place," he reasoned as he carted an overfilled basket in his hand.

"Please," Bella scoffed. Only eat half? Obviously, he didn't know her very well. "I will eat every last bite, don't you worry about that. You just worry about bug spray. I swear, Edward, if I suffer so much as one bite, I will climb in your car, and drive off without you. Leaving you alone to get hacked to death by deranged killers."

Dipping his head, Edward nipped at her neck. Lingering there to do a little nuzzling. Laughing when she shivered. "Not even one bite? What if it's from me? Not bugs or deranged, cannibalistic killers."

"We're adding cannibalism to the mix?"

"Yeah." He nipped at the sensitive skin on her neck a second time. She let out a dreamy sigh, closing her eyes as she ran her fingers down his spine.

"Fine," she murmured. "But only you. If anyone else comes along looking to take a piece, I'm running. Please believe me when I tell you, I will trip you up so the killers get to you first."

"That's pretty harsh." He chuckled, his warm breath tickling her.

"Survival isn't pretty, Edward." Easing back, she took his hand, continuing their slow stroll down the aisles. "Speaking of survival, I noticed this morning we're running a little low on protection. Since I grew up here, and the woman working the check-out is friends with my mother, you're going to have to get them," she said with a friendly pat on his shoulder.

"Me? That's not fair."

"Look, we can stand here all day fighting about it, or you can just go get them now. Because I'm not willing to suffer through the knowing looks, or the conversation with my mother when she finds out I'm buying condoms. I can't go through that, not again. Once is more than enough. I also take protection very seriously. No glove, no love, dude. Sorry."

Edward, grunting, brushed a kiss across her jaw, then turned, trudging away from her. Bella grinned. She'd stay here, thank you very much.

Humming, she inspected the selection of ice cream before her, deciding which tub to buy, when a hand come down to rest on her shoulder. Assuming he'd returned from the condom section, she turned with a smirk, a taunt ready on her lips.

Her smirk quickly replaced with one of welcome when she noted who stood behind her. "Hey Jacob."

Stony faced, he didn't offer her a smile. "Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Taken a little off guard by his sober tone, she nodded. "Umm, sure. Go ahead. Is everything okay?"

"Are you still dating this Campbell guy?" he asked bluntly.

Bella held his gaze, wondering why he sounded so upset. "Yes. I am. Why?"

"I hear you've been spending a lot of time at the inn. With him. The gossips tell me you don't leave until morning. And when you're out together, you're all over him." His dark eyes narrowed accusingly.

 _Is he for real?_ Jessica fumed. _Don't you dare stand silently while he implies you're a slut._

 _I won't._ She promised her sister. _I can handle this_.

Jessica grumbled. And while she backed off, Bella could feel her in the back of her mind, watching.

Squaring her shoulders, Bella replied, "Yes, I have been spending the last few night's with him. Which I'm allowed to do. I'm single. I'm of age. And I enjoy his company. I'm not doing anything wrong, Jacob. What's your problem?"

Dark eyes held hers. "I don't like it. That's the problem. You're sleeping with him already? He's been here, what? A month?"

Hurt stole her breath, humiliation heating her cheeks, she wished for the ability to defend herself. She wanted to resent him for his double standards. Maybe if she could hurl abuse at him, she wouldn't be standing in the freezer section, holding back tears.

Bella didn't wish it for long, her curse rearing its ugly head, she soon saw things from his point of view. He just found out she'd slept with another man. It must hurt him to realize she'd moved on. Jacob didn't know the truth about what happened last year. He didn't know he ended their relationship, not her…

 _Bella placed gently her hand on his._

 _'_ _It's okay, Jacob."_

 _Flinching at her touch, Jacob yanked away from her touch as if electrified, demanding harshly, 'What are you?' He pushed to his feet. Taking a step back, then another, until his back pressed against the refrigerator door._

He's just in shock _, she told herself, setting the kitchen table on the ground. As soon as he calmed down, he'd stop looking at her as if he'd never seen her before. As if he feared her._

 _'_ _I'm a witch. I can do thing's others can't, like lift the kitchen table with my mind. But I'm still me,' she added, taking a step towards him._

 _'_ _Stay back,' he snapped, holding up his hand to ward her off._

 _Bella winced. 'Okay,' she agreed. 'I won't come any closer. Nothing's changed, Jacob. I'm still me.' Her gaze holding his, silently pleading with him to understand. To step away from the refrigerator and come back to her._

 _Jacob shook his head furiously. 'No. You're not. I thought you were the girl of my dreams, not a freak of nature.'_

 _It stung, Bella admitted, but what did she expect? She'd thrown this on him, after all. He just needed time. He didn't mean it._

 _'_ _Jacob,' she tried again. 'I'm still me. We're still us. I know you need time to adjust. I know your upset that I didn't tell you sooner, but,' she began._

 _'_ _Sooner?' he burst out. 'I wish you never told me. Why did you?'_

 _'_ _Because we're getting married,' she answered quietly. 'I didn't want to lie to you anymore. I didn't want to hide from you. There are enough hardships that come along with marriage without adding a secret this big to it.'_

 _'What about our children? Will they be like you?'_

 _Bella wanted nothing more than to give him the answer he so desperately wanted. But she promised herself to tell him the truth. All of it. 'Yes. They'll be like me.'_

 _'_ _Get out.'_

 _Bella blinked, positive she heard him wrong. 'What did you say?'_

 _He took a step towards her, disgust replacing the fear in his dark eyes. 'I said, get out. I don't want you here.'_

 _'You don't mean that," she protested, tears filling her eyes._

 _This wasn't supposed to happen. Yes, he'd be shocked. Maybe a little angry because she kept something so huge from him. But then he'd see it didn't change anything. It just meant he didn't need to do any heavy lifting around the house from now on._

 _He'd calm down and pull her into his arms. Squeezing tight, just once, the way he always did, and then he'd kiss her._

 _When she imagined how their conversation might go, he didn't call her a freak. Or tell her he didn't want her._

 _No, this couldn't be happening. Jacob loved her. Promised to always love her, no matter what._

 _'_ _Jacob,' she breathed._

 _'_ _I want you out, Bella. I want you out of this apartment, out of my life. And I want my grandmother's ring back.'_

 _She curled her left hand into a tight fist. 'No,' she whispered. 'Please, Jacob, just take some time to think things through. We can work this out.'_

 _He glared down at her. Always warm, his dark gaze became as cold and as unfeeling as ice. 'I don't want to work things out with you. You're a freak, Bella. What you just did, it's unnatural. You're unnatural.'_

 _'_ _No, I'm not. I can just do things others can't. I'm not a freak. Jacob, it's me. I'm still the same person you came home to ten minutes ago. Remember? When you walked through the door, asking if I wanted to fool around in the shower before dinner. I'm still that girl. Why can't you see that?'_

 _'_ _Because you're not. You are not the woman I asked to marry me. I don't want this, Bella. I don't want a witch for a girlfriend. I sure as hell don't want one for a wife. Give me the ring.'_

 _'_ _I'll stop.' Desperate, she continued. 'I won't use my gifts. I'll stop, Jacob, I promise. I'll find a way to get rid of my gifts. I swear, I will. Please, don't ask me to leave.'_

 _'_ _I'm not asking," he replied firmly. "You can't change what you are, Bella. I can't pretend what you can do doesn't disgust me."_

 _'Why? Why does it disgust you? I can move a few things, who cares? We love each other, that's all that matters.'_

 _'You're not human, Bella. It matters to me. Our children won't be human. It matters.' He held out his hand. 'Give me my grandmother's ring. It doesn't belong to you. If you don't, if you don't get out of this house and stay away from me, I'll tell everyone what you are.'_

 _Jacob's threat sealed his fate. Destroyed their chance of a future together. Slowly, as if observing through someone else's eyes, she pulled the symbol of their love, their future, from her finger, placing it in his palm._

 _With tears streaming miserably down her face, she turned and walked out the door._

No, Bella thought, Jacob didn't know why she walked away from him. It didn't matter if he found solace in the arms of another woman, he believed she betrayed him.

"Jacob," she began, placing a hand on lightly his muscular arm. "I know you're confused, upset, but trust me, I know what I'm doing. I care a great deal for Edward, or I wouldn't be spending time with him. He cares about me, too. I know he does. I understand you're just looking out for me. I'm grateful you care so much, I really am, but I'm fine. I promise."

Jacob shook his head, disapproval heavy in expression and tone. "You're wrong. You're playing with fire, Bella. Earning a name for yourself."

"What name is that?" Edward rumbled dangerously from behind her.

Bella bit her lip nervously. He sounded mad. Like, really mad.

Jacob must have thought the same thing. Stepping back, he broke their contact. "I'm just warning Bella about what people are saying about her," he said defensively.

His hand came down to rest of her shoulder protectively. Possessively. "How nice of you. Are you one of those people?" Edward asked tightly.

"No," Jacob replied, unable to keep eye contact with furious male. Putting space between them, he glanced at her. "I've warned you, Bella. You know I don't think those things, but word spread's."

"And reputation's stick?" Edward snarled. "Why don't you do us all a favour, _deputy_." He managed to make the title sound small. Silly. "Why don't you go back to patrolling the dangerous streets of Higgins. From now on, keep your distance. No one hurt's my woman. You heard me," he drawled as Jacob gaped at his declaration. "She's my woman. No one, especially you, gets away with upsetting her. I suggest you back off before I do something to get myself arrested. It will ruin our night. If that happens, I doubt Bella would be too pleased with me."

Jacob's eyes flickered to Bella. Waiting for her to chime in, she guessed.

"Goodbye Jacob," Bella murmured. With a ring of finality in her words.

Shaking his head, he said, "You're making a mistake." Turning on his heel, he strode away, storming out of the store.

Bella looked at Edward. Jacob's biting words affecting her more than she wanted to let on, she tried to hide it. From the growling noise he made in the back of his throat, the fire burning brightly in his gaze, she didn't do a good job.

Instead of cursing, of tearing after Jacob the way she feared, he blew out a breath. Green eyes calming, he flashed her a smile. "I've got the condoms. Did you get the ice cream? Anyone you want, on me."

Bella laughed softly, suddenly feeling much better.

"Edward?" a sultry voice said from behind them.

Edward bared his teeth. "What now?" he hissed, spinning on his heel to find the source of the voice.

She expected him to curse, to shout. Growl at whoever dared interrupt them.

He surprised her again. Instead of exploding, he fell silent, every muscle in his body tensing.

Curious, Bella looked around him to see a stunning blonde standing in the middle of the aisle. The way she looked at Edward told Bella she wasn't a friend or a distant relative.

"Tanya."

#

 _What the fuck is she doing here?_ She couldn't be here, not now, not with Bella standing right there.

Tanya smiled, a sly look forming in her blue eyes. She knew.

How did she know? Who told her? Not once did it occur to Edward that Jasper betrayed him. He trusted his brother. So how did she find out?

"Surprised to see me?"

"Yes," he gritted. At his side, his grip tightened around the metal cart he held in his hand.

Tanya's eyes flashed. She held power. She'd destroy him for shit's and giggles, unless he played along with her little game, he knew.

"We were in the army together," he explained to Bella. She didn't appear to sense Tanya's magic, but it didn't surprise him. Tanya might be bat shit crazy, but she took her magic seriously. The chances of Bella discovering a witch stood in front of her were slim.

Edward wanted to keep it that way.

"Yes," Tanya agreed, her eyes practically gleaming. If she thought to make him sweat, he wanted to congratulate her on a job well done. "We're old friends, aren't we?"

"Yes," he replied, trying to remain calm. He'd say whatever she wanted if got her as far away from Bella as possible. He wouldn't let this viper say something that might upset her. He'd kill the bitch if it meant protecting his woman from her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, trying for casually. Failing miserably.

"I'm visiting some old friends. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw you standing here. Who is your friend?"

Clenching his jaw, he played the role of puppet to perfection. "This is Bella Stevens. Bella, this is Tanya."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Bella said politely. She must be confused with the interaction. He wanted to whisk her out of there, away from the witch standing in front of him. He didn't trust her not spill his secrets to Bella as a way of getting a little pay back for dumping her for-fucking-ever ago.

"You too," she replied just as politely. Turning back to Edward, she said, "Well, I guess I'll see you around sometime. Bella, I do hope we meet again. I have a feeling we have a lot in common."

 _I'm going to kill her_ , Edward inwardly snarled. _I'm going to wrap my hands around her scrawny neck and choke the goddamn life out of her._

He stood there, fuming as she sauntered out of the store without a care in the world.

"Edward," Bella yanked on his hand sharply.

"Yeah, baby?" he murmured, distracted by the images of Tanya begging for her life.

"Are you ready to leave? I need to go home before we go on our date. Come on," she urged when he continued to stand there.

They paid for the items, saying as little as possible to woman while she scanned their items.

It wasn't until outside, with the fresh air washing over his face, calming him, he noted Bella's furrowed brow.

"What's wrong?"

Sombre brown eyes met his. "Why did you lie?"

Edward's heart stopped before kicking back up, thudding painfully in his chest. "What do you mean?"

"Tanya. It's obvious she's your ex-girlfriend. I'm not an idiot. I'm not mad, or jealous, either. I just don't understand why you lied to me."

Oh, thank god. This he could answer honestly. Or at least somewhat honestly.

"I know how I felt when I saw you dancing with Jacob. When I walked up moments ago, with your hand on his arm. I didn't like it. Not many people want ex-girlfriends shoved in their faces."

"That's all?" Edward nodded, hating himself for yet another lie. "Okay. I want you to know, I didn't mean to make you jealous that night." Grinning suddenly, she admitted, "I didn't think you were interested anymore, and thought, 'what the hell? Might as well have some fun while I'm here.' I'd never use someone else to get your attention. The same thing with Jacob inside the store. I wanted to reassure him, nothing else."

Pulling her into his arms, Edward rested his cheek on top of her head. "Baby, you don't need to explain things to me. I know you'd never use someone like that. I panicked. I didn't expect to see her here. I didn't know what I should do or say. I just panicked. I'm sorry I lied to you."

"It's okay," she whispered against his shirt. "Thank you."

"For what?"

Bella smiled up at him, resting her chin against his chest. His heart swelled at the sight of her sweet smile and trusting eyes. A trust he didn't deserve, but he wouldn't dwell on that now. "For defending me in there. I thought Jacob might pee his pants. Or take a swing at you."

He remembered the look in her eyes, the hurt. "I prefer the latter. At least then I'd have an excuse to punch his lights out." He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Are we okay?"

"We are," she confirmed.

"Good. Now, let's get you home. You have stuff to do, and I need to check on Angus. Come on, I'll drop you off and go see what mess he's created now."

Yes, he'd check on Angus. After he dealt with Tanya. He didn't worry about tracking her down. She'd come to him. She wanted to confront him. Of that he had no doubt. Only she wouldn't find the laid-back male she believed she loved waiting for her. She'd find the Warrior. The cold-hearted bastard his friends knew and loved.

She'd come to this town; backed him into a corner. Forced him to introduce her to Bella.

No, when Tanya finally showed her face, she'd lose that smug, sly gleam in her eyes. He'd show her the consequences of taunting him. Putting his relationship with Bella in jeopardy.

She was about to see a whole new side of Edward Campbell. No one threatened him. No one forced him to play a clapping monkey for their own amusement.

Tanya would learn that the hard way.

#

Edward's hands shook as he let himself into his room at the inn.

He tried to hide the growing fury clawing at his gut from Bella. Acting like his homicidal rage didn't exist as she sang along with the radio. He smiled, teasing her about her terrible singing, but he knew he didn't fool her for a second. He caught the worried glances she'd cast him every so often. Thankfully, she didn't say anything.

Shoving open the door, his gaze automatically landed on a small bundle of fur in the middle of his bed. Edward froze. Angus lay there, unmoving.

"Angus?" he called his name sharply, rushing over to him.

"The animal is fine," a familiar assured him.

Spinning around, for the second time in an hour, he found the witch standing there. He growled "What have you done to him?"

Tanya blew out a breath, as if she thought his concern for his canine friend a tad dramatic. "The little mongrel's incessant barking got old quickly, so I put him to sleep. Not that way," she drawled as the color drained from his face. "He's just in a deep sleep. He'll be out of it for a while."

Edward stroked a massive hand along Angus' tiny body. Pausing, he breathed a little easier upon finding a slow, steady heartbeat beneath his palm.

"What kind of sick bitch places spells on defenceless animals?"

Tanya chuckled darkly. "The kind you happily took to bed not too long ago"

Her superior attitude set his teeth on edge. She'd come to this town to play games, walked into his temporary home, cast a spell on his dog. Now she stood there, laughing at him.

Moving with great speed, he became little more than a blur as he turned on her. One moment she stood by the door, the next, her breath exploded from her lungs as he shoved her up against the wall. Edward's large hand grabbed her, fingers biting deep into her elegant throat.

Squeezing, a dark, twisted satisfaction overcame him when panic flickered in her wide eyes. Futile anger quickly following.

Attempting to bring her hand up-most likely to send him flying out the fucking window- Edward got there first. Before she could do a damn thing, he pinned her wrists above her head, slamming them painfully against the hard surface with his left hand. His right still curled around her throat.

Tanya snarled at him, her chest heaving, face flushed ruby with anger. His larger body plastered against her, crushing her to the wall, nothing sexual, but meant to make her feel helpless. Helpless to do anything, just like he felt in the grocery store.

He almost missed it. A glimmer of something more than anger in wide eyes, but he caught it. Desire.

Hell no. At one time, he might have enjoyed the embrace. Pressed against her like this, he felt every dip and curve. And he knew what she hid beneath her expensive clothes.

Yes, at one point in his life, he might be tempted by a beautiful woman looking at him with lust in her eyes, even if he wanted to strangle her. But not today. He prayed there never came a day when he didn't enjoy hot, sweaty sex. But not with her. Not ever again.

Her laughter forced, breathless, she drawled, "Oh, baby, you know I like it rough."

"Shut your fucking mouth," he thundered. "I should snap you neck, right now. Believe me, I want to. What the hell are you playing at?"

She shrugged, Or, at least, she attempted to. He didn't give her much room to breathe, never mind make casual gestures. "A little pay back." She narrowed her eyes. "What's wrong, Edward? Afraid your witch will discover you're nothing but a lying bastard? Are you afraid of what she'll do when she finds out who you really are?"

Face inches from hers, he glowered at her. Grip tightening, he relished her small whimper. His face no longer handsome, but almost demonic. Jaw clenched so tight, his teeth hurt, the veins in his temple and neck bulging. Eyes, always tender around Bella, shot fire at Tanya. Promised retribution.

She'd thrown his worst fears in his face. Taunted the man, forgetting about the monster who dwelled within. She made a terrible mistake. Edward may look like a man, act like a man, but beneath layers of civility, he would always be a Warrior.

And she poked the beast.

"You better pray she never does," he rumbled. "Or I won't stop myself next time, Tanya." Their gazes locked together, he tightened his left fist. Ruthlessly squeezing until, finally, she caved.

He liked it. Edward didn't know what type of man it made him. Right now, he didn't care. He needed her to feel pain after what she'd done. For everything she put at risk because he didn't want to run off into the sunset with her.

"You're hurting me," she ground out.

Chuckling darkly, he said, "Do you really think I give a fuck? You're lucky I don't kill you."

Her gaze flew to his. "I don't think that will happen. I've got, what do they call it in the movies? An insurance policy?"

Raising a brow, he asked, "Insurance policy?"

"If I don't call Carmen in the next," she glanced at clock over his shoulder, "ten minutes to let her know I'm safe, she'll go straight to Emmett. With everything she knows."

"I can do a lot in ten minutes," he warned.

"I remember," she murmured. Before he realized saw her intentions, she reached up, capturing his mouth with hers.

Edward, horrified by what she'd done, tore his body from hers. Shame rising within him, he stood there. A small smile playing on her lips, Tanya rubbed her wrists.

He felt dirty, Edward realized. As if he'd cheated on Bella. A ridiculous reaction, he didn't ask for her kiss. He certainly didn't want it. So why did he feel like he betrayed her?

Edward scrubbed at his mouth. Wanting to erase the taste of her, he snarled, "What's wrong with you?"

Tanya asked, "What, baby? I remember a time when you used to like it when I kissed you. You liked it when I did a lot more than that."

Edward stared at her as if she'd grown three head's. "Yeah, in the past, I liked it," he admitted. "For a about a week. I haven't thought about you, wanted you, in a long time."

Her lush mouth firmed into a tight line. "I'm good enough for a few weeks, but not good enough to play happy families in a small town?" she said scathingly.

"Yeah, that's about right. I saw you, I wanted you. I had you a couple of times. After that, I didn't want you anymore. You were _convenient_ , Tanya. The sex was good, I'll give you that, but I never wanted more. Not with you." He saw pain flicker in her eyes and, god help him, it felt good. Cruelly, he continued. "It's a harsh reality, but I told you from the beginning what I wanted. Sex. Nothing more. Stop playing the victim," he snapped. "I don't feel guilty for the way I acted. I don't feel shame. All I feel when it comes to you, is regret."

Tears glistened in her eyes. "What about Bella? Is she convenient? Will you feel regret in a couple of weeks? After you risk losing everything you are, will you walk away from her? Or will she be the one to walk away from you?"

He took a threatening step towards her. Tanya tensed, but didn't back down. "Stay away from her. I don't care what 'insurance policy' you've got in place. I will _destroy_ you. I'll gut your entire coven, while you watch, if you so much as breath her name once more. You can't imagine the length's I'm willing to go to if it means protecting her."

"Why Edward?" she whispered. "Why her?"

His expression transforming to one of disgust, he asked, "Seriously? You're that woman? The one who stands there asking, 'why her and not me?'"

"Yes," she replied steadily.

If he didn't hate the bitch so much, he might pity her.

She wanted to know why. Why he'd fallen for Bella and not her? Why he'd risk losing everything for her, when he might lose her in the end?

"Because she's everything you're not. She's everything you'll never be." That's all he'd tell her. He refused to stand here, justifying to her why he wanted someone else. He wanted Bella, he didn't give a shit if no one else understood why. He did.

"You've got about five seconds to leave. Get out of town, Tanya. Go home and forget what you saw here. I'm warning you, if Emmett so much as hears a whisper of this, I will come for you. I will make you pay. Do you understand me?"

She stood there, refusing to respond.

"Do you understand me?" he bellowed suddenly, the walls almost shaking from the force of his shout.

"Yes," she spat.

"Good. If you come back here, I won't give you a sore wrist for a few days. I'll break every bone in your goddamn arm."

Edward knew some men wouldn't dream of threatening a woman, harming her. Believed women too soft and weak to stand against a man. To a point, Edward agreed. Real men didn't hurt the innocent, whether it be a man or a woman. Real men didn't slap a woman around because she pissed him off, because it got him off to see her in pain. A real man cherished his woman. Protected her.

But he also understood women are just as lethal as men, just as conniving. In his long years, he learned not to hesitate because his opponent sported breasts. He'd do whatever it took to destroy his enemy, it didn't matter what sex they identified themselves as.

Tanya was now his enemy.

Edward didn't admit out loud, but the phone call to Carmen saved her ass.

"Fine."

Storming over to the door, yanking it open, she tossed a glare over her shoulder. "She will find out, you know. One way or another, she'll discover the truth. That you've done nothing but lie to her, use her from the moment you 'met'. She'll find out, then she'll walk away from you. Don't come back to me when that happens."

Edward rolled his eyes as the door slammed behind her. Like he'd ever want her back. He considered her a terrible mistake long before he met Bella.

Alone, he slumped to his bed. The adrenaline wearing off, he felt drained. Shaken.

Resting his elbows on his knees, he hung his head. Tanya, despite being a crazy bitch, was right. Bella would discover his betrayal eventually. She'd walk away from him.

 _Time's up_ , he thought. The option of taking his time, thinking things through, no longer applied now the Tanya, and most likely her coven, knew his secret. Threatened to use it against him.

Dragging his phone from his pocket, he pressed call, stroking Angus' soft fur while waiting for him to pick up.

"Edward?"

"Hey Emmett."

"Tell me you're calling to give me some good news."

Grimacing, he replied, "Not exactly."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

"How long will you be gone?" Bella tried hard not to sound like a whiney teenage girl and failed miserably.

"I'll be home tomorrow night, at the latest. I'll be back sooner if I can. I need to sign some papers, so they can put my house on the market."

Bella pouted. "Can't they mail them to you?"

"I guess, but I need to pack a few things, and arrange for my furniture to go into storage while I look for a place of my own. Plus, I need to sort through the collection of junk mail - there must be dozens of take-out menus - and a bunch of other stuff. I won't be gone long. How's Angus?" he asked casually, but he didn't fool her for a second. He worried over his puppy like a paranoid mother worried over her children.

The puppy in question flopped around on her living room rug, attacking a teddy bear she'd purchased to cheer him up. He ragged the poor stuffed animal around as if it had done something to personally offend him. Angus missed Edward already, and now used the poor, torn, spit covered bear as a way of dealing with his emotions.

"He and Todd got into a huge fight. I let him out the front door when my cat demanded I choose between the two of them. Sorry, Angus is cute and all, you know I love him, but I'm a cat lady at heart."

"You're making it up."

"Nope," she replied, shaking her head. "Poor Angus is probably in the pound by now. Ready to take a very long nap."

"That's not funny," he snapped.

Bella chuckled. "No, but your mother hen persona is downright hilarious."

"I think I should come home right now. I fear I made a huge mistake by asking you to babysit him."

"Yes, come home," she agreed enthusiastically.

"Why, Bella, are you missing me?" he teased.

"Yes," she admitted easily. She stretched her leg forward, stroking Angus' soft belly with her toe. "I've gotten used to having you around."

"Aww baby, as soon as I finish up here, you can have me around for a lot longer."

Her heart warming, Bella thought back to the day before when he told her he was leaving.

 _"_ _What do you want to do tomorrow?"_

 _His head resting on the pillow next to hers, he replied, "I can't do anything tomorrow."_

 _Momentarily distracted by his wandering hands, she mumbled, "Why not?"_

 _"_ _I'm leaving town." He shifted close, his lips grazing her neck while the pads of his fingers trailed along the line of her back._

 _Bella froze. The time had come for him to leave. She'd tried to live in the moment, enjoy every second they shared, and wave him off with a kiss goodbye. She'd keep fond memories of him, sharing their love affair with her grandchildren one day. Grossing them out when she lingered on certain details._

 _A good plan, she thought._

 _Trying for casual, she eased back, ready to wish him well. Only, when she envisioned this moment in her mind, it never ended with her bursting into a flood of tears before getting a single word out._

 _"_ _Baby, what's wrong?" he demanded, abandoning her neck, cupping her face with strong hands. "Why are you crying?" He brushed away the hot tears sliding down her cheeks with his thumbs._

 _"Are you serious?" Weeping, she tried to explain, but it took her a couple of attempts. "I'm crying," she sobbed, "because you're leaving. How the hell did you think I'd react?"_

 _Edward laughed. She bawled over the thought of never seeing him again, and the bastard laughed. Right in her face._

 _Kissing away her tears, his shoulders shaking with laughter, he declared, "You are the cutest thing I've ever seen."_

 _She glared at him. Or, as much as she was able with her cheeks drenched and her lower lip quivering._

 _"_ _I'm serious," he insisted. "You are. I must admit, seeing how much the idea of me leaving upset's you, is a real ego boost. But there's nothing to cry about."_

 _Nothing to cry about? Didn't it bother him that they wouldn't see each other again? It broke her heart._

 _"_ _How can you say that? I know we've never discussed the future, I know you must have a whole other life waiting for you, one you need to get back to, but dammit, I'm sad. You're leaving," she added, causing a fresh bout of tears._

 _"_ _Yes, I'm leaving." He placed a sweet kiss to her lips before adding, "For a few days."_

 _Bella's heart stopped. "What?"_

 _Edward kissed the tip of her nose. "I'm leaving so I can settle thing's back home. I'm happy here, Bella. Happier than I've ever been in my entire life. Why would I leave when I want nothing more than to stay here, with you?"_

 _"_ _You're staying," she muttered._

 _"_ _I am."_

 _Bella punched his shoulder._

 _His jaw dropped at her violent outburst. "Ow. Why did you do that?"_

 _"_ _Why didn't lead with that?" She demanded, feeling like a complete fool. "You know, before I bawled like a baby in front of you?"_

 _Rubbing his shoulder, he snickered. "I probably should have." His laughter died, a tender smile gracing his lips, his green eyes warm, he added, "But I'm glad I didn't."_

Ecstatic with the news, she'd ravished him that night. After giving him hell for the stunt he pulled, of course.

 _Still, Angus isn't the only one pining for him,_ she thought morosely. _Get a grip_ , she scolded herself. She'd been alone for over a year before she met him. An independent woman, she didn't need a man to keep her warm at night. That's what electric blankets were for, right?

"Okay," she sighed, glancing at the clock. "I've got to go. Company will be arriving soon. It's the new man who moved in across the street. He's over six feet, ripped, sexy. Single."

Edward grunted. "Yeah? Tell him if he wants to continue breathing he'll stay away from my woman."

Bella grinned. Jessica once said jealousy could be sexy, if done right. Edward did it right.

She breathed out a heavy, a put-upon sigh. "If you insist. I better let you go. Call me later?"

"I will. I love you."

The dial tone sounded in her ear.

Eyes popping wide, Bella's jaw fell. Did tell her he loved her and hang up?

The phone began to buzz in her hand.

"Hello?" she greeted slowly.

"I just said I loved you," Edward said, cutting the chase.

"Yes. Yes, you did."

"You didn't say anything back," he replied.

"You didn't give me a chance. You hung up," she reminded him, her heart turning to goo.

He loved her.

"I know. Well?" he demanded impatiently. A little nervously, she noted.

"Well what?"

"Say something," he ordered. Again, he didn't give her a chance to speak. Edward, confident, sexy, Edward, began to ramble. "Look, I know I said it first. I can't expect you to feel the same way. Especially so soon in our relationship."

"Edward," she began.

"People develop emotions at different speeds. I've got no right to insist you say the words back to me. Or even feel them. I read somewhere you shouldn't rush your partner into feeling something before they're ready. It can lead to resentment. It might potentially be the reason you break up, because they got rushed into something they weren't ready for."

"Edward," Bella interrupted sharply.

He sucked in a quick breath. "Yeah, baby?"

"I love you, too."

"Oh, thank god," he groaned. Bella giggled at his obvious relief. "I didn't want to pressure you, but I'm so glad you said it back."

"Me too."

"Okay. I really gotta go. I love you."

"I love you, too." She said the words once more, joy bursting from the pit of her stomach, straight up to her heart, threatening to overwhelm her. "I'm so going to jump you when you get home," she added seriously.

"You bet your ass you will. I can't wait."

"Me neither."

Hanging up the phone, she held the phone to her chest, a smile blooming. After the pain and heartbreak of losing Jacob, she'd found happiness again. She loved Edward Campbell. He loved her.

The doorbell chimed. As if she'd taken a knife to a balloon, her joy, her wonder, over Edward's declaration, vanishing as the blood drained from her face.

 _It's time,_ she thought, gathering her courage, for Carlisle's annual visit.

#

Carlisle, once David Sayer's best friend and most trusted ally, became Bella's guardian, of sorts, almost three decades ago. When the covens passed the sentence, condemning the twins to death, her parents ran to Carlisle for protection. Carlisle, the only person willing to help them.

Carlisle suggested sending the twins away while the couple searched for a way to escape their family's wrath. He took the babies, hiding them away them in his home for safekeeping. Pointing out until they found a safe haven from the covens, the twins must be kept as far from their parent's as possible.

By taking them away, Carlisle saved their lives.

One night, while Amelia and David slept, members of the covens crept outside the house. Using their abilities, they set the house ablaze, barring windows and doors. Trapping the couple inside with magic. Amelia and David burned alive.

He couldn't save his friends that dreadful night, he once told Bella. He refused to allow their daughters to share the same tragic fate. He gave the twin's away, hiding their true identities from everyone. Including their adoptive parents.

He'd always been there. A guiding hand, a trusted confidant. A guardian, protecting them from the shadows.

Once a year, Carlisle came to Higgins. While the date changed every year, he always visited her, without fail.

Until today, Bella looked forward to his visits. Enjoyed spending time with the man who gave her a chance at life, who she loved like a father. Now, she couldn't wait for him to leave.

If Carlisle knew Jessica hid in the basement, he'd force her to leave. He'd never harm Jessica, Bella didn't worry about that, but he'd make her leave all the same. If she objected, refused, he'd camp out on the living room couch until she agreed. Or toss her over his shoulder, taking her away, kicking and screaming.

He had one rule. Something he drilled into them since infancy. For their own safety, they must never be together.

Bella knew what drove his need to separate them. Both covens believed them long dead. If either coven discovered they lived, the curse they feared stronger than ever, they'd come for them. They killed their own children to keep the curse from coming into fruition, they would destroy the twins without hesitation. By staying together, in his mind, chances of discovery were greater. Two women, two witches, both sharing the face of Amelia Rose? If they ever came under either coven's radar, their true identities would be known in a heartbeat, placing them both in grave danger.

Bella knew the risks. She hoped she never came into contact with either coven. But her sister, the bond they shared, was worth whatever danger that might befall them.

Opening the door, despite her fear, Bella flashed a bright smile.

"Carlisle," she greeted, pulling him into a tight hug. The man reminded her of a tree. Tall, wide and solid. He dwarfed Bella. His touch remained as gentle as ever, careful, as if he feared one flick of his wrist could shatter her.

Carlisle returned her embrace, patting her back awkwardly. As much as she knew he loved her, he'd never been one for hugs.

"Let me take a look at you." She eased out of his arms, taking him in. A mountain of a man, with broad shoulders and thick muscles. His face expressionless, as always. In all her life, she saw him smile only a handful of times. Tanned skin, his thick, long pale hair gave him an exotic beauty. And fathomless eyes, so dark brown they appeared black.

His presence huge, formidable. She knew her parents feared him. Dreaded his knock at the door.

Yes, he did look intimidating to the rest of the world. To Bella, he was family. She loved him just as much as she did her parents, as Jessica.

"You look as handsome as ever."

"You say that every year," he pointed out.

"I do. I also mean it every year," she replied, proud of her casual tone. "Come in. Can I get you a drink?"

"I'd appreciate a glass of water," he replied, like always. He never asked for anything else, despite the numerous times she offered tea or juice.

"Take a seat. I'll be right back."

Bella expected him to follow their usual routine. Every year, without fail, she greeted him, inviting him into the house. He sat uncomfortably on the living room couch while she poured him a glass of water. They'd sit, talking about anything new in her life, for close to an hour, then they'd go to dinner. After a fabulous evening, he'd bring her home. Kiss her on her forehead before vanishing from sight. Teleportation being one of his many gifts.

Not the most exciting tradition, but theirs.

Today, Carlisle did not follow tradition.

Instead of sitting in the living room, he joined her in the kitchen. Breathing deeply, he stated, "You have a dog."

"No." She smiled, handing him his water. "I'm just looking after him while a friend of mine is out of town. Angus will be going home tomorrow."

"Hmm," he muttered, sipping the water. Placing the glass calmly on the kitchen counter he met her gaze. His eyes steady, cool, giving nothing away. Bella's breath caught. He always looked at her with warmth, or as much as warmth as he was capable of. The icy stare he offered now frightened her.

For the first time in her life, Bella feared him.

"You're a terrible actress, Clara," he murmured.

Clara, the name given to her at birth. The only name he called her.

Eyes wide, Bella squeaked, "What? What do you mean?"

His dark eyes narrowed slightly in rebuke. "You know what I mean. I can feel the energy in the air. I sense the warding on the basement door. Aside from the foul stench of your friend's dog, I can scent the herbs she'd need for the spell. A spell you should know nothing about. Be honest with me. Exactly how long has your sister been hiding in the basement?"

#

Bella's lungs constricted. She couldn't breathe. He knew. Despite Jessica's assurances, he'd most likely known from the moment he entered her house.

Still, she gave it a shot. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Enough!" he hissed. For the first time, he glared at her. His dark eyes blazing. He never directed his anger at her. Always cool, calm, never showing any emotion, she stupidly thought him incapable of such a volatile feeling.

Carlisle proved himself more than capable of emotion, of directing his anger at her. Bella gulped, afraid of him.

Apparently seeing her fear, he shut his eyes. Visibly trying to calm himself. "I don't have time for games, Clara. Tell me you why your sister is in the basement? Why you ignored the only order I've ever given you and behaved so recklessly?"

"Only order? Are you serious?" a feminine voice demanded from behind her.

Closing her eyes, Bella groaned quietly. Shit was about to get real. After all these years, they were finally together again. A joyous occasion, she'd always imagined.

Carlisle raised his dark eyes, looking past her. "Avery," he greeted. "It's been a long time."

Jessica sauntered over, joining them at the kitchen counter. Eyes of pure gold, her magic ready, waiting to strike. If Carlisle made one false move, she'd attack. They all knew she couldn't win, but she'd sure as hell try.

"Carlisle. When will you stop calling me by that name?"

"Never. You will always be David's daughters. Avery." His gaze flickering to Bella, he murmured, "Clara. I could never bring myself to call you anything but your given names."

Sorrow flowed through Bella. She ached for him, for his loss. She didn't remember her parents, she didn't grieve them. Carlisle did.

Carlisle blew out a heavy sigh, suddenly looking old, and extremely exhausted. He walked over to the small kitchen table, dropped into the seat and rested his forehead against the heel of his hand. "You silly, foolish, girls."

Molten golden eyes flashed. "Don't you dare. We're sisters. We should be together. We're sick of being torn apart because you decreed it," Jessica snarled.

Carlisle dropped his hand, turning his head, he met Jessica's angry stare. Only where her rage spit fire, his burned ice cold. Chilling. "You may not like how I handled things. You may not even like me. But you will speak to me with respect. All I've ever done, these so-called wrong's you've accused me of, has always been with your best interests at heart."

"Oh, is this where you lecture us on the dangers of staying together? Of the sacrifices you made to protect us. There is no danger, Carlisle. We've been together for a month and nothing's happened. After all this time, we proved you ripped us apart for no reason. We were happy, too, until you came along and ruined everything."

Carlisle smiled. The action turning his angelic features almost sinister. Bella shivered. "Happy? Life perfect before I came a long, destroying your little fantasy world? Does Clara know you're involved in an illicit affair with her next-door neighbour? That he thinks you're her?"

Jessica glowered at him. "How do you know that?"

"Please," he scoffed. "I can hear his thought's from here. They're consumed of her. What he plans to do the next time he gets his grubby hands on her. I heard them the moment I arrived. I was appalled. Clara involved with a married man? Imagine my surprise when I took a closer look. He might believe he's sleeping with your sister, but it's your face in his memories. You who walked into his house one afternoon. Seduced him. Swearing him to secrecy so your sister wouldn't discover the truth." He shot her a scathing look. "Yes, Avery, you've kept your head down. Living a quiet life, while spending quality time with your sister."

Bella turned to her sister, her jaw dropping. "Tell me he's lying."

Jessica shrugged uncomfortably. "You told me no one in towns knows you're a twin. I thought it prudent to let him think I'm you."

Nausea rolled through her stomach, threatening to bring up her lunch. "Oh, my god, Jessica." The image of the two of them together horrified her. Disgusted her. A thought popped into her mind. "Is this why you encouraged me to resume my everyday life? So you can carry on banging Martin from next door? That's so gross. I went to school with his daughter. He's married. What if his family finds out? They'll hate me."

Carlisle brushed it off as unimportant with a dismissive wave of his hand. "There's no need to worry. I've dealt with him already. He won't remember a thing."

"Like you dealt with Jacob?" Jessica challenged. Her perfectly tweezed eyebrows rising as she stared down their guardian.

Bella sucked in a sharp breath. She didn't want to go there. Not now. Didn't they already have more than enough to deal with? Besides, she didn't appreciate her sister bringing up her pain, her past, to get one up on Carlisle.

Silently, he rose to his feet, looming over Jessica. "I did what I did to protect your sister. He threatened to expose her."

Jessica scoffed, in no way intimidated by the menacing man before her. "No, you didn't. If you did it for Bella, why not erase his memories of the last ten minutes?" she challenged. "Influence him to accept her for who she is. But you didn't. When she came to you, told you what happened, you gave her a choice. Mind control or death. Of course, she chose the first. She loved him, she'd do anything to protect him."

Shaking his head, he replied firmly, "You're wrong. I acted in her best interests."

"What about my interests, Carlisle?" she asked. "Or do I not matter to you as much as Bella does?"

"You're talking nonsense," he dismissed her.

"Really? Do you seriously think I don't know I always come in second place? Where are my phone calls? My visits? Oh, that's right, you stopped visiting. You stopped calling."

"You refused to answer my calls."

"That's not the point!" she screamed, slashing her hand through the air.

Bella jumped when the vase sitting on the window shattered, scattering tiny pieces of glass everywhere.

Carlisle didn't so much as flinch. "You're right. I did stop trying. I stopped trying a long time ago. Making an effort to reach you. To control you, or the darkness growing larger day by day within you."

"Damn right you stopped," she rasped. "You think you can walk in here, force me to leave. Well, you're wrong."

What he said next surprised Bella. Quietly, he replied, "You're right. I can't force you to leave. I can't force your sister to request you leave, either. But what I can do, is ask you. Attempt to convey to you, no matter what you believe, I only want to protect your sister. She's a good person. An innocent. She hasn't seen how truly ugly this world can be. I will see to it she never does. I'm asking you to leave, for her. If her safety still means anything to you, you'll come with me."

Jessica glared at him. His words hit below the belt, and they all knew it. "We are safe. I've scanned the area for any possible threats. I do it every day, without fail." She sneered at him. "Despite what you believe, I'd never put her in danger."

Carlisle shook his head in disbelief. His expression incredulous. "Are you so arrogant in your abilities? Do you truly think your enemies can't conceal their presence from you? The same way you attempted to hide from me? Are you so foolish?"

Jessica jolted, her eyes widening, color draining from her cheeks with his every word, she whispered, "I didn't think."

Carlisle showed no sympathy. "No, you didn't. You didn't think with your head, but with your heart. Your actions could get her killed."

"Stop it," Bella finally spoke up. "Both of you. Stop talking about me as if I'm a child, in need of protecting. I'm a grown woman, with gifts of my own. Stop acting as if I'm incapable of defending myself." She turned to face him. "Carlisle, Jessica is right. You can't force her to leave. I don't want her to leave."

The glass sitting on the counter rose, floating through the air as if an invisible hand carried it. Carlisle lifted his hand, wrapping long fingers around the cool glass. Bringing it to his lips, he downed the water in one gulp. Placing it down, he turned to Bella. "Your sister's darkness will only spread. She's been here a month, yet she's already lied to you. Entered into an affair with a man you respect. Made him believe he's bedding you. How long do you think it will take for it to spread further? She becomes bored at playing happy families with you? Until she _needs_ violence, the pain of others. Her curse will allow nothing less. She will rip this town apart, one person at a time. Are truly able to look me in the eyes, and tell me you're willing to stand back while she destroys your home, the people you care for?"

"We can leave," Jessica suggested, a little desperately, her eyes bright. "We can leave this town. I won't be able to destroy her home, because we'll be somewhere else. Together, like we always dreamed." She reached out for Bella's hand.

"Leave her life behind for you?" he asked. "Her friends? Her family? Go on the run with you, be with you, but never see her parent's again?"

"They are not her parents!" Jessica burst out, turning on Carlisle. "Our parents burned to death because they were too weak to fight back, and because you failed to protect them."

Bella's heart ached. The awful words spewing out of Jessica's mouth almost too much to bare. Some things, she knew, you couldn't take back. Attacking Carlisle, throwing their parent's murder in his face, blaming him, she'd never seen her sister act so cruelly.

Jessica spun back to Bella. Clasping their hands together, she squeezed. "We can be on the road in an hour. We can go anywhere you want. Everywhere. Together," she added, her golden eyes beseeching.

Bella wanted to say yes. To make her sister happy. She almost did, the word on the tip of her tongue, when Edward's face flashed in her mind.

If she left now, if she walked away from her life, travelling the world with her sister, she'd be giving up everything she always wanted for herself. A family of her own with a man who loved her. Not the wildest of dreams, she knew, but her dream.

Jessica smiled down at her, golden eyes urging her to speak the words. To say yes.

She'd do anything for her sister, but to Bella's surprise, her shame, not this. She couldn't throw away the future she dreamed of. Not even for Jessica.

"I, I," Bella stammered. Hating herself as the light, hope, in her sister's eyes faded away. Gritting her teeth, she ground the words out. "I can't."

A single tear fell, rolling slowly down her cheek. "Bella," Jessica breathed. "You're the other half of me. The good half. Please. Come with me."

"I can't," Bella repeated unevenly. She tightened her grip on Jessica, desperately wanting to find a way to convey to her twin why she must refuse her. "I don't want to hurt you. But, I can't give you this. Look inside me," she invited. "See why it has to be no."

She sensed Jessica's desire to deny her request. Her sister didn't want to understand. But, in the end, she closed her eyes and concentrated.

Bella felt her, like a warm breeze, rifling around her mind. Catching a glimpse of her little sister's fantasy.

Nothing spectacular, most people took it for granted. A little girl with dark curls and green eyes playing on the floor. A baby on her hip. Two strong arms appearing from behind her, pulling her against a hard chest. Soft lips brushing a kiss to her temple.

A happy, loving family of her own.

It's all she wanted. Not a big career in a bustling city, or an extravagant lifestyle in a house big enough to fit fifty people. A quiet, normal life, with a family she built for herself.

If she left Higgins, if she travelled the globe, on the run from unknown enemies, the covens, she'd be giving up her chance of a future.

 _I can't do it. I can't give it up_ , she whispered in her mind, knowing her sister would hear her.

Slowly, Jessica opened her eyes, smiling sadly. Nodding in grudging acceptance. Her shoulders relaxed, her expression now one of acceptance, it seemed all the fight had left her. "Part of me always knew you wanted a normal life. I just didn't want to admit it, even to myself. I knew if I did, I'd see your future doesn't include me."

"That's not true," she protested instantly. "You'll always be a part of my life, my future."

Shaking her head sadly, Jessica said, "No, it can't. Carlisle's right. I taint everything around me. Let's face it, little sister, do you see me moving to a small town, living a quiet life? Be honest."

"No," she whispered.

Jessica tucked Bella's hair behind her ear. "Don't look so upset, it's the truth. I can't see it, either. If we left today, you'd be sacrificing your family for me. If I stayed, I'd only end up doing something to ruin it. I would never forgive myself for destroying your happiness. I wish I could stay." Her lips tugged up in a watery smile. "I wish for the impossible."

For the curse to end, Bella understood.

"Me too. I'm sorry, Jessica. I'm so sorry I can't come with you," she muttered, sniffling.

"Don't be. I want you to get everything your heart desires. I want you to find happiness. You don't know this, but I ruined your chances of having your dream once. I didn't want to lose you, so I hurt you. For my own selfish reasons. The only time in my life I've experienced guilt. Shame. It's why I haven't done anything to interfere with you and Edward. Because of what I did back then. I don't regret what I did, but I regret hurting you." She inhaled deeply, offering her sister a smile that didn't stand a chance of reaching her eyes. "I want you to be happy, little sister. Even if it is without me."

"I know you do." Bella thought she understood what she spoke of, but it didn't matter anymore.

Carlisle cleared his throat, interrupting the tender moment between the sisters.

Jessica glared at him. "What?" she snapped.

"Oh, don't mind me," he drawled. "But, when you can tear yourself away, gather your belongings together. I'll take you with me when I leave."

She arched her brow. "Don't you trust me?"

He met her gaze squarely. "No."

Jessica rolled her eyes dramatically. To Bella, she said, "I'm going now. While I don't like it, he's right. I wanted to see you so badly, I didn't think of the consequences of my actions. Of the danger I put you in."

"Jessica." Bella shook her head, panicked. She didn't need to leave now. She'd fought her darker desires for almost a month. Why not a little longer?

Jessica kissed her cheek. "When I thought I could protect you, I was able to ignore the truth. Now, thanks to him, it's been shoved in my face. I can't justify staying with you when I know you might be harmed because of me. I'm going to go pack."

"I don't want you to go." Bella needed to say the words. "I can't come with you, but I don't want you to disappear from my life. I won't let you."

Jessica's eyes shined. "I know. It means everything to me."

Bella looked on miserably as her sister spun on her heel, walking away without a backwards glance.

Bella started to go after her.

"Don't," Carlisle warned, his hand shooting out to bring her to a halt. "It's for the best."

Bella shook him off. "Why do you insist on keeping us apart? I know the covens once posed a threat, but what are the chances they'll still give a damn whether we're alive or dead?"

He frowned. "Is that what you believe? This is all about the danger the covens pose?"

"Isn't it?"

"Partly," he agreed. "But mostly because of the danger Avery poses to you. I split you up, placing you in homes thousands of miles away from each other, to protect you. For you. She's a bigger threat to you than almost anyone else."

"That's not true," she denied.

Carlisle sighed. He looked tired, Bella thought for the second time since he arrived. "I love your sister. I will protect her with my last breath, but I always knew she'd succumb to the darkness within her. I knew she'd make formidable enemies. I separated the two of you to protect you from that. To protect you from the evil clinging to her. I'm only glad I arrived when I did. Before her past tainted you, or the life you lead here. Well, apart from your neighbour, but don't worry, I've dealt with him."

Bella opened her mouth, only to shut it a second later. She didn't know what to say.

To find out after all this time, he'd done it for her. Remaining stoic in the face of Jessica's anger, resentment, her hatred. Not once did he utter a single word in his defence as she hurled such horrible words at him. He'd taken it all, from both of them, to protect her.

She understood now. Why Jessica believed he loved her more. Preferred Bella to her. Because he put her first. He placed her safety, her happiness, over Jessica's, and her sister knew it.

No wonder Jessica resented him the way she did.

"There's a way to fix this. I know there is" she murmured, lowering herself in the seat next to his.

"There is no way to break the curse. I've spent years searching for an answer. There isn't one. Over the years, I've tracked down witches, psychic's, Seer's, they all say the same thing. The curse can only end with death."

His bleak words sent a chill racing down her spine. "No."

Carlisle placed his hand over hers, squeezing once. "No," he agreed, his voice definite.

His confidence soothed her life nothing else could.

"How did this happen? Why us?"

He shrugged. "The question should be, why not you? Bad things happen to good people every day, Clara."

"Will ever call me by my name?"

He reached over, cupping her face in his cool hand. "To me, you will always be Clara. It is the name my friend gave you."

"Clara is who I'd be if the curse didn't exist. A strong and powerful witch. I'm just Bella. I like Bella."

"I do, too," he agreed. "But Bella, while lovely, is not the name of the baby I held in my arms one terrible night, when your father handed you to me. Your mother, so beautiful, brave, stood with tears in her eyes, clutching Avery to her chest. They handed me their hearts. Trusted me to keep you safe. I vowed to protect you." He cleared his throat roughly. "When they died, when I arrived too late to save them, I returned to you. I stood over the two of you as you slept. Swearing to myself I'd never let anything hurt you."

A tear fell down her cheek. He brushed it away with the pad of his thumb before allowing his hand to fall away. Bella knew the story, of course she did, but she never heard him say it quite this way before. When he spoke, she felt his guilt, his determination to make sure the same never happened to them.

Bella understood why he'd been willing to do anything, even to go as far as splitting them up, to keep them safe.

"I'm sorry."

His dark eyes widened. "Why are you sorry?"

"For thinking of you, even for a moment, as the enemy. Making you the bad guy in all this. For placing blame on your shoulders because you forbade us from seeing each other. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. I will gladly be the 'bad guy' if it keeps you safe. I didn't protect your parents. No matter how hard I tried, Avery embraced the darkness within her. I feel like I've lost all three of them. I will not lose you, too."

Bella shook her head in denial. "You didn't lose her, Carlisle. She's still in there."

His expression bleak, he asked, "Is she? I don't know anymore."

Flipping her hand, Bella laced her fingers with his. "I do. I've seen her. The woman she'd be without this horrid curse. I see her whenever she looks at me. I refuse to give up on her. Or believe the only way this curse will end is with her death, or mine."

His lips curling in a grim smile, he replied, "I wish I felt the same."

#

"I don't like this. It's all happening so fast." Bella bit her lip. An hour after Carlisle arrived on her front doorstep, he and Jessica were leaving. Who knew when they'd see each other again?

Standing at the door, suitcase at her feet, Jessica dragged her visibly upset sister into her arms. "Stop it," she scolded gently. "You're going to cry. I won't be able to leave if you start crying."

"I don't want you to leave. You know what? I've changed my mind. Let me go pack, drop the pets off at Angela's, then we'll hit the road. I want to go, Jessica. I promise." She attempted to pull out of her sister's embrace.

Chuckling, Jessica refused to release her. "No, you don't. I promise you, Bella, things won't go back to the way they were. I won't allow anyone to keep us apart again," she added, throwing Carlisle a pointed glance. He ignored her.

"But you're in danger," she stressed. "Those Bratha-something people, they're after you."

"I will take her to a safe place until the threat on her life is resolved," Carlisle promised. "Now, stop stalling. We must be going. Say your goodbyes, Avery."

Lowering his head, Carlisle kissed Bella's cheek. Turning on his heel, he strode out of the house without another word.

Jessica pulled a face at his back. "He's such a joy to be around. I can think of no one better to share a long car journey with. Since when does he drive, anyway?"

"I don't know. Be nice to him. He told me some thing's while you packed. I think we've both been a little hard on him. He's only ever tried to do his best."

Jessica didn't look convinced. "I know what he said. I heard every word. I still think he's a prick for separating us. An insensitive prick," she corrected. Then with an amused grin, she nudged her sister, saying affectionately, "Side Effect Girl."

Bella tried to laugh but couldn't quite summon the effort needed. "Just go easy on him. For me. If at any point, you think you're going to kill him, just go to your happy place. What do psychotic witches consider as their happy places, anyway?"

Jessica scowled. "I prefer the term sociopath."

"I'm sorry. I forgot."

"Oh, come here," Jessica said, pulling her close. "This won't be the last time we see each other. I promise you."

Bella breathed in her sister's scent, committing it to memory. "I believe you. Go," she ordered. "Go now before I do something crazy, like knock out Carlisle with chloroform. I'll lock you in the basement. He'll get all pissy about it, you'd hold it over my head for the rest of my life," she trailed off.

Jessica lifted her hands, cupping her sister's face. "I'll talk to you soon."

Bella nodded. "You better."

"The devil himself couldn't stop me." She rested her forehead to Bella's. "See you soon, little sister," she whispered.

Bella stood in the door way, frozen, as Jessica sauntered down the path to where Carlisle waited for her. Climbing into a silver car, she lifted her hand in a small wave as they drove away.

Bella lurched forward, throwing herself out the front door, and darting across the yard. Skidding to a halt in the middle of the street. Chest heaving, heart beating frantically, painfully, she watched miserably as her sister disappeared from sight.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Thunder rumbled. Thick, heavy rain drops splattered against the glass pane. Edward stood before the balcony doors. Hands crammed in his jean pockets, staring out at the night sky. Lost in thought.

Despite his fears, he arranged a meeting with Emmett. Who'd been pissed when Edward announced he was abandoning his post to come talk to him. His commander eventually came around when Edward insisted their conversation must be face to face.

He couldn't do this over the phone. He needed to do this in person, read his friends facial expressions, if he stood a chance of convincing his commander to go along with his plan.

He arrived at the mansion earlier that day, spending time with Jasper, who offered to attend the meeting with him. Stand beside him as moral support. Edward, while grateful for his friends offer, declined. He had to do this alone.

Edward spent the rest of the evening in his room, pacing. Worrying. Never in his life had he felt a debilitating fear like the way he did now. Panic rose in his chest, stealing his breath, he imagined of all the things that might go wrong.

Edward stood in the darkness. As stupid as it sounded, he felt safe in the shadows.

 _I'm afraid,_ he realized, taken aback by the knowledge, but man enough to admit it. To himself, anyway. On the outside, he looked every bit the fearless Warrior. Shoulders straight, eyes forward, spirit unbending.

On the inside, he trembled.

Tonight, Edward would either find a solution to his problems. Or he'd make things a thousand times worse.

One hell of a gamble, that's for sure. If Emmett didn't sentence him to death, he could still lose his family. His sense of purpose. If things went sour, Emmett might toss him out onto the streets. Banish him from his home. Obliterate the link tying him to his brothers in the Bràthaireil. He'd lose everything.

That's if things went well.

Edward narrowed his eyes. He wouldn't lose everything. If he lost his status as a Warrior - and if Emmett allowed him to live - he'd have Bella. He would have a woman of his own. A woman who loved him.

Edward smiled. He hadn't planned to tell her he loved her. Especially not over the phone. He wanted to share his feelings with her much later, after he dealt with her sister, during a romantic dinner or moon-lit walk. Not during a phone call, unable to look in her eyes when she said it back. Not in the middle of another lie.

His alarm beeped. Swallowing hard, Edward turned his back to the storm.

Heading straight into the heart of another.

#

Hand poised, ready to knock on his commander's door, Edward hesitated. Ordering himself to man up, he blew out an uneven breath, rapping his fist loudly against the thick wooden panel.

"Come in," Emmett barked.

Emmett glanced up from a pile of paperwork with a scowl as Edward entered. "Sit down," he snapped, using his ballpoint, he pointed to a chair across his desk. "I don't know why Jasper can't put all this shit on the computer. It would save me time, that's for damn sure."

Despite nerves running rampant in his stomach, Edward smirked. "Because most of the people on the payroll are well over a hundred years old," he supplied. "If we put their information on a computer, we risk being hacked. At least if it's on paper we can store it in a locked file room. A room only a Warrior has access to. No risk of them going to authorities. Or worse, the press."

Emmett raised his head to give him a bland stare. "Where the hell did that come from?"

"Jasper," he replied simply, dropping onto a high back chair. "I asked him about this a while back, then suffered through a ten-minute rant about hackers, all sorts of conspiracies, and a cloud, whatever that means. I didn't want to drag it out by asking more questions. Safe to say, for people like us, storing our personal information on computers is a bad thing."

"Well, I'm still going to complain about it. It's the only thing I enjoy about my job." Tossing his pen down on the table, he offered, "Scotch?"

"Please."

Emmett poured them each a healthy dose of expensive scotch, handing Edward a glass before dropping back in his seat. He took a sip and sighed, as if he relished every drop. "What's going on with you, Edward?" Emmett offered him a rueful grin when Edward's eyes widened. "I know you. I know when something's wrong. What is it?"

Edward opened his mouth, tried to force out the words, but he couldn't. He tried twice more and failed. "I don't where to begin," he admitted almost helplessly.

"How about the beginning? It seems like a good place to start."

Edward bit the inside of his cheek, gathering his courage. "Okay." Stomach in knots, he began. No one could ever comprehend the amount of courage it took for him to say the words. Share his secret with his gaffer, his mentor. His friend.

"You assigned me to go to Georgia. Look for signs of the witch. For the last few weeks, we wondered if she might be laying low with her sister. I think you're right."

"Okay. What's the problem? Just spit it out," he commanded sharply when Edward hesitated.

Edward blurted, "For the last three weeks, I've been in a relationship with Bella Stevens. A few days ago, it became a sexual relationship."

Emmett stared at him. For a long moment, neither man spoke.

Shoving to his feet, Emmett hurled his scotch at the wall. Pieces of shattered glass raining down on the expensive carpet. "Fuck!"

"I'm sorry."

Emmett gaped at him. "You're sorry? Sorry means nothing to me. What the hell were you thinking?" Before Edward could begin to explain, defend himself, Emmett continued to shout. "Are you kidding me? You lied to me, betrayed me, your brothers, and everything we stand for. You should be ashamed of yourself. I'm ashamed of you. I'm furious with you." Raking clawed fingers through his hair, his expression a mixture of rage, disgust, and worse, disappointment, he ground out, "Let me tell you this, if anyone else sat in that chair, telling be this, he'd be hung. Match lit before he knew what hit him."

Edward didn't speak. He didn't make excuses or defend himself. He sat, quietly withstanding Emmett' fury. He didn't try to excuse his behaviour, he sat there and accepted his friend's condemnation, felt every lash of a whip that came with his harsh words.

Obviously agitated, he lowered his hand, rubbing it roughly across his jaw, Emmett continued, "I can't believe it. I expect it from someone like Mike. He always thought with his dick. But not you." Crestfallen, he shook his head. "Not this. I thought you were better than this."

Emmett's words, his disappointment, cut Edward like a razor. This is why he feared their meeting. Emmett expected more out of Edward than anyone else. He detested seeing disgust in his friend's eyes.

Silence hung heavy in the room, Edward feared he'd choke on it.

"I tried." Eyes studying the glass of scotch clutched in his hand, he pushed the words past his lips. "More than you will ever know. I tried to keep my distance. To see her as nothing but a woman who might potentially lead us to the witch. I swear to you, I did."

"What changed then? How did you go from resisting temptation to swimming in it?"

"I fell in love with her."

Emmett spat a curse. "How can you love her? You've been in Georgia a handful of weeks. How can love her when you barely know her? You can't."

Cheek lifting in a grim smile, he remembered what Jasper said about time limits. "It doesn't matter if I've known her for a month or a year. I know how I feel, in here." Edward splayed a wide hand over his heart, feeling like a twat for saying something so mushy. "I love her."

Emmett grunted. "Yeah, right."

Meeting Emmett gaze, Edward glared at his friend. His eyes shooting fire as turbulent emotions ran rampant within him. "Don't," he warned darkly. "You can't know, you can never know, what it took to come here. To sit here and speak these words. I tried, Emmett. I tried to stop, to push her away, but to my horror, my shame, I'm not strong enough. Me. Edward Campbell. A man supposedly renowned for his strength, his skill. His control," he added scathingly. "I'll admit it, I'm not strong enough to resist what I feel for her. I've known it, I think, from the first day. No matter how hard I tried, she's never been a mark to me. You can hate me for it. Burn me for it. I won't blame you. I'd probably do the same. But, no matter what you're thinking about me, right now, I assure you, I felt the same way. I've been going out of my mind. Never in my life have I felt so torn. At times, ashamed. Like you said, you know me, Emmett. You know I've taken none of this lightly. It took everything I am to knock on your fucking door. So, don't you dare stand there and dismiss me."

Emmett stood, hands on his hips. His face bright red, waves of tension flowing from him. As the seconds ticked by, his body gradually began to relax. Edward saw it as a good sign. His friend hadn't slaughtered him yet, or locked him in a cell, so he took a chance and continued.

"Jesus Christ, Emmett," he continued earnestly. "I'm not some horny man child, unable to keep his dick in his pants. If that's the case, I'd be there now, with her, but I'm not. I came to you because I need help. Because, despite my best efforts, I can't keep away from her. I love her, Emmett. I'm in a mess. I can't see a way out of it. For the first time in my life, I don't know what to do."

"Jesus." Emmett fell into his seat. Tossed back his scotch in one gulp. "Okay," he began. "I'm listening. I think I'm experiencing a brain aneurysm, but I'm listening."

Edward blew out an unsteady breath, gratitude brightening his green eyes. He told Emmett everything. From their first meeting outside her house, to the 'coincidental' one at the clinic where she worked.

As they sipped scotch, Emmett pouring himself yet another, he filled him in. He left out no detail, big or small.

"You sure are in one hell of a mess," Emmett stated the obvious once Edward finished. "If I didn't think it so messed up, it might be funny. You finally find a woman you can't be without, and I can't think of anyone more unsuitable."

"I can't let her go, Emmett. I won't lose her. Unsuitable or not, she's mine."

Emmett sat quietly for a long time, his expression one of a man lost in thought. Edward debated speaking up but decided against it. Eventually, he murmured, "I've heard of this happening before. Not this," he added wryly. "This has never happened before, as far as I'm concerned. But I have heard of a Warrior meeting a woman. Falling in love."

Edward blinked. "You have? I've never heard of one of us falling for a woman. My father couldn't give two shits about my mother. In all my years, I've never cared about a woman. Neither have you, or any of the men I know."

Emmett nodded. "Love for a Warrior is rare," he informed him. "In all my years, I've only heard of a few." He cleared his throat. "Owens parent's being one of the few couple's I met where love is involved. From what I've learned, it's instinctual. We are men of instincts, we trust our gut more than we trust our head, our heart. Why would it be any different when finding a woman of our own?"

Edward's mind raced. What Emmett said made sense, but he still found it difficult to accept. All his life, he'd been told Warrior's didn't do love. All that mattered is duty and honor. Now Emmett informed him he was more than capable of loving and, with his commander's words, his reaction to Bella suddenly made sense.

Insanity, hormones, lack of integrity had nothing to do with his unreasonable connection to her. His instincts, his gut, maybe even his heart, recognized her as the woman who belonged to him.

The relief blooming inside him made him giddy. Everything made sense now. And, if nothing came out of this meeting, he would always be grateful he came. At least now he understood why he couldn't control his emotions when it came to Bella Stevens.

"Are you saying she's my mate?" He liked the idea.

Emmett scoffed. "No. Shape shifters mate, not Warriors. I'm saying a few of us are lucky enough to find someone perfect for them, and because we are superior, we don't dick around for months, or years, trying to figure it out. We just know. Maybe that's what happened with you. Maybe not. You said you tried to resist the pull you felt towards her, that your reactions confused you?" Edward nodded. "There you go. It makes more sense than you, an honourable man, would brush aside your duty due to physical attraction."

Edward slumped back in his chair, breathing easy for the first time in weeks. "I have to admit, I feel a lot better. I've questioned myself more in the last few weeks than I ever have. If you're right, and the more I think about it, the more I agree, she's mine. I haven't betrayed my people, my calling, because of a pretty face I saw standing in the rain. I did it for my woman," he finished, his voice thick with satisfaction. Pleasure. His woman. Yeah, he liked the sound of that.

"Don't get ahead of yourself. You're still in a mess, fated or not."

As if his friend poured ice water down his back, Edward sobered instantly. "I know."

"What do you want from me? Even with this new information, what do you expect me to do?"

"Fated or not, I'm up shit creek. If I play any part in her sister's death, she'll never forgive me. There are some things you simply cannot come back from," he said, borrowing Jaspers wise words.

Emmett shrugged. "Then she won't find out."

Edward shook his head. "I've watched her; seen the way her eyes glaze over sometimes. I've met telepath's before, they get the same vacant look in their eyes when they're communicating. I believe she's telepathically linked to her sister. If I'm right, she'll know. I'll lose her. After what you told me, knowing I finally have a chance of a woman of my own, a family my own, I can't let that happen."

Emmett tossed back his drink. Again. "I think I know what you're asking me. If our situations were reversed, I might ask you the same thing. But, it's a hell of a lot, Ed."

"I know."

"Do you? Do you understand what you're asking me to do? You sit there, telling me how torn you've been since meeting this woman, realizing what she means to you. Your face lighting up when I tell you it might be something more. And you ask me to choose between my responsibilities as your commander, what I feel is the right thing to do, and helping you, my oldest friend. A man who has saved my ass more than I care to count. Do you know what you're asking of me?" he demanded.

"I'm asking for your help, Emmett." He'd beg if need be. He would get on his knees, pride be damned, and beg for his friends help if it meant keeping Bella in his life.

Emmett rested his elbows on the cluttered desk. "God, I don't know what to do. I know what I should do. What I would do if it were anyone else sitting that chair, requesting such a thing."

Edward closed his eyes, preparing for rejection. For punishment.

Emmett's words startled him. "But you're not anyone else," he murmured. "You're my friend. You're a good man, a valiant Warrior. You've bled for your people, for me, more times than I can count, and, besides from a glass of overpriced glass of scotch, you've never asked me for a damn thing? I don't think it's fair of you to put me in this position, but is it fair to demand you give up a chance of happiness?"

Hope flourishing in his heart, lighting his eyes, he asked, "You'll help me?"

"You need to tell her. If she really is telepathic, she'll find out anyway. She'll know you lied."

"I know," Edward muttered, his stomach rebelling at the idea of Bella finding out the truth. "But I'd still have a chance in hell. I know what that monster did to our brother. She deserves slaughtering for her sins. We can't allow her to roam free, but I can't be involved in her death. If Bella finds out, she'll leave. Curse or no curse, she'll hate me. But, if we imprison her twin… I can at least try to win her back."

"You want to lock her in a cage?" Emmett asked, sounding less than impressed with the idea.

"Yes. Lock her up, make sure she doesn't hurt anyone else. She'll never see the light of day again, and I'll get to keep Bella."

Emmett sat quietly, appearing to weigh the pros and cons of Edward's plan. "It won't be easy. From what I saw, she's vicious."

Shoulder's slumping in relief, Edward sucked in a breath as if he'd been drowning. Holding Emmett's gaze, he said intensely, "Thank you."

"I'll do this for you." His expression hardened. "But if a single one of my men die trying to bring her in, it's on your head."

Edward swallowed. "I understand."

Emmett leaned back in his chair. "I hope you know what you're doing. What you're asking for."

"I do."

"When are you going to tell her?"

"I have no idea. If I head straight out, I'll be in Higgins by tomorrow. I'll tell her then."

#

"They can't get away with this," Carmen fumed, staring down into the shallow pool of water. Shaking her head, she glared at the image of Edward conspiring with his leader. She couldn't believe it. They were going to let the witch live because Edward didn't want to lose his _woman_?

Tanya, upon his arrival, insisted he returned for a reason. For something he couldn't, or refused, to share with anyone other than Jasper and Emmett. Tanya, who returned to the mansion with ugly bruises on her wrist and vengeance in her mind.

The witches sat in their room, quietly discussing possible scenarios. Not once did they suggest something as outrageous as the truth. He asked for leniency towards the witch, to lock her up. Instead of meeting out they usual barbaric brand of justice, he wanted to tuck her away.

Emmett, to their astonishment, granted this wish.

Despite the pain, suffering, and lives stolen for her own amusement, she would be captured, not destroyed. Edward, a man Carmen once believed honorable, despite his past with Tanya, practically begged for Emmett to imprison her. Because he couldn't bear the thought of losing his woman.

"They won't get away with it," Eleazar seethed, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, stalking toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Tanya demanded.

Glancing over his shoulder, Eleazar yanked the door open with barely restrained fury. "I'm going to confront them. Then I'm going above Emmett. I'll go to the High Council. This will be the end of the Bràthaireil."

"No, you won't," she replied firmly.

Slamming the door shut, he approached Tanya, reminding Carmen of a dangerous predator, his eyes glowing a molten gold. "What do you mean, no? We came to these brutes to help them slaughter a witch. Not lock her up because he wants to continue nailing her sister. This ends now."

"I said no," she said, sharply this time. "We will not confront them with what we know. Nor will we involve the High Council."

Eleazar glowered. "Then what are you suggesting we do?"

Carmen felt sickened by what she witnessed, and Eleazar looked ready to, bring everything down on the Warrior's heads, but Tanya smiled. Carmen assumed she must have a much better idea in mind.

"Revenge."

Eleazar blinked. "Revenge for what? Keeping us in the dark?"

"No, not just that," she shot back. "I want revenge for everything. Edward used me up and threw me away. When I went to that suffocating little town, he put his hands on me. Threatened me." Ripping back the sleeve of her white blouse, she held up her abused wrist. Ugly, purple bruises marred her pale skin.

"Isn't it time you got over this?"

Ice blue eyes narrowed dangerously. "No. I don't. After everything he's done to me, about to do to us, I say its payback time. Edward's future happiness is at stake. You heard how desperate he sounded when he spoke of losing his new toy. He's willing to go against his code, hide things from the men he considers family. How do you think they'll react when they find out what he's planning to with the woman who murdered one of their brothers?"

"They'll be enraged. He'll lose their respect. Their loyalty," Carmen answered quietly.

Tanya grinned. "Exactly."

Eleazar shook his head. "No. I say we confront them now. Revenge is great, but we need to think of the greater good."

"We are. If Emmett is willing to hide a monster, what do you think he'll do to you if you confront him? You won't make it out of this house, Eleazar. If they do, they risk being questioned."

"You don't know that for sure?" Eleazar replied, but he sounded uncertain.

"Are you willing to take the risk?" Tanya challenged. "No, we'll do it my way."

"What is your way?" Carmen felt the need to ask.

A sly gleam entered her eyes. "Oh, I know exactly who will help us take down Edward, and the witch. Once he finds out about their plan, he'll come with us to the High Council if it means taking them down."

"Who are you talking about? How are you going to convince anyone of Emmett's betrayal?" Eleazar snapped.

"Leave it to me."

#

Waking the next morning, Bella felt a little better than the night before. She missed Jessica like crazy, of course. So much it hurt. The house suddenly felt too big for one person. It would pass. She got along perfectly fine before her sister appeared in her home one afternoon.

Last night, she spoke with Jessica for over an hour. Using a phone this time, not telepathy. She complained about Carlisle, claiming he drove her crazy during their journey. Lecturing her non-stop, on everything from finding a way to curb her spontaneous streak, to the consequences of having an affair with a married man.

Finally, she feigned sleep just to get a little peace from his constant yapping, Jessica said.

Bella wondered what her sister planned to do next. Did she intend to ditch their guardian? Go off on her own, like before she'd come to Higgins? Or did Carlisle plan stash her somewhere safe while he confronted her enemies? It wouldn't be the first time.

Bella enjoyed her phone call with Jessica, but after hanging up the phone, she sobbed until her eyes were red and swollen and her throat dry and sore. Exhausted, she cried herself to sleep. Tears flooding her eyes, her body shaking with the force of her despair, she lay back, berating herself for allowing her sister to leave without her. Didn't she dream of spending time with Jessica, no one able to keep them apart? Yet, when given the chance, she selfishly told her no. What if she made the wrong decision?

Refusing to wallow in what-ifs or self-pity, like the night before, Bella decided to keep her mind occupied. With the entire day free, she could do whatever she liked. Take a walk with Angus, ride her bike around town, maybe even see a movie.

She did housework.

On the plus side, Edward also called last night to tell her know he'd be returning home early. Home in time for dinner, he promised. Then asked, again, if Angus missed him.

With housework not taking as long as she thought, Bella did a little shopping. On impulse, she entered the hair salon. Telling the stylist to go for it, an hour later, she left the salon with freshly cut shoulder length hair.

For the rest of the afternoon, Bella vegged out on the sofa, watching television. Todd purring on her lap, Angus snoring at her feet.

Relaxed, more than happy to indulge in a nap, Bella jumped when her phone vibrated in her pocket. Dragging it out, she greeted, "Hello?"

"Hey, Bella, it's Angela." Her friend from work.

"Oh, hey. What's up?" She lifted her feet, propping them up on the arm of the chair.

"I'm calling because I saw you walking Edward's dog earlier today. I thought you might be interested Beau's old toys."

Beau, Angela's faithful friend for ten years, who rivalled Angus in the cuteness department. A dog she doted on as if her only child. Sadly, due to his ill health and old age, Beau died late last year.

"Are you sure?" Bella asked.

"I am," Angela replied firmly. "It's not much. Just some toys, bowls, a travel cage, stuff like that. I can't bring myself to throw them away."

"I don't know if Edward's got any of that stuff. It's hard enough stashing Angus out of the way when his room is cleaned, never mind a dog bed. Why don't you bring them by later? If he doesn't want them, Todd will play with anything. Besides, I've never made it a habit of turning down free things."

"Me neither. I'll drop off after work, if that's okay. I'd come over now, but my place is a mess, and I've got a dentist appointment today which I need to mentally prepare myself for," she chuckled.

"Why don't I pick them up later?" Bella offered. "You'll be tired after work. Also, I know how much you hate the dentist. You'll need your rest."

"I'll be fine," Angela assured her. "I'll text you when I'm on my way. That okay?"

"That's great. I'll see you later."

With that settled, Bella tossed her phone on the table. Snuggling up on the sofa, with nothing to do, and two snoring animals for company, she closed her eyes, quickly falling to sleep.

An hour later, Bella felt rested. Refreshed. Angus, also rested and refreshed, wanted to play. Todd, after stretching lazily, flopped on his side and went back to sleep.

Happy to indulge Angus, she found his teddy bear. The two heading outside to play fetch in the front yard. She tried to teach Angus the concept of fetch, but he found it difficult. The puppy didn't want to give his teddy back, even though he enjoyed chasing after it.

Hurling the teddy across the yard, she congratulated Angus when he finally dropped the disgusting thing at her feet. The sound of an engine purring had her glancing at the road. A familiar car pulled up smoothly outside her house, she spotted the handsome man sitting behind the wheel, a brilliant smile lighting her features.

As Edward slid from the car, it occurred to her how much she missed him. With all the drama from yesterday, her mind too frazzled with Carlisle's impending visit looming over her head, and her sister's departure, it kept her from pining for the man strolling towards her, a sexy smile creasing his face. No, she thought with a dreamy sigh, she didn't realize until now how much she missed that smile, his face, his presence, until now.

Scooping up Angus, she stood, waiting patiently for him to reach her.

"Look, Angus, daddy's home."

Edward let out a tired laugh, his gaze devouring her. He looked exhausted. His face pale, dark circles shadowing his eyes. He looked scruffy, but in a sexy way she thought incredibly unfair. He hadn't shaved since he left from the looks of him, his clothes wrinkled from the trip.

 _With that scruff of beard_ , she thought suddenly distracted, _he looks like a pirate. A sexy pirate._

His big hand ruffled the top of Angus's head, the puppy's floppy ears swinging. "We must have the world's ugliest kid," he drawled.

"Hey!" she protested, tucking the wriggling dog to her chest. "You'll hurt his feelings. He's not ugly. He's the cutest thing in the entire world. Isn't that right, baby?" she cooed, dropping a kiss on the puppy's nose.

Edward eyebrows shot up. "Have I been replaced? I've only been gone a couple of days."

"Sorry, dude. You snooze, you lose. It's a dog eat dog world. Get it?" Her eyes shining with laughter.

Edward rolled his. "Yes, I do, you dork." He blinked, cocking his head slightly. "Did you cut your hair?"

Now Bella rolled her eyes. To Angus, she said, "It only took him, like, a month to notice. Do you like it?"

"I love it." Reaching out, he ran his fingers through the shorter waves. "Come here," he murmured, cupping his hand at the nape of her neck, urging her forward.

His soft lips brushed against hers once, twice. Teasing her. Building the anticipation, before dragging her under in a long, slow kiss. His touch sent tingles racing across her body. Shuddering as he deepened the kiss. She didn't give a damn what the neighbours must think as she stood there, making out with her boyfriend in her front yard like a teenage girl.

Edward took his time, kissing her thoroughly. "I missed you," he said breathlessly, ending the kiss. Resting his forehead against hers, he continued, "It's sounds ridiculous. It's only a couple of days, but I missed you like crazy."

"I know exactly what you mean." She frowned, once again noting his pale skin, his tired eyes. "When was the last time you slept? You look exhausted."

His offered her a rueful grin. "That's because I am. I drove all night."

"Did you get everything sorted back home?"

His gaze glued to hers, he looked intense, she thought and wondered why. "Yes. It's all sorted now."

"Good. I'd ask if you wanted to go out for dinner later, but you look like you're about to drop."

"I'm never too tired for pizza."

"How about this? You come inside, take a little catnap on my bed, then we'll order pizza?"

His tired smile turning wicked, the heat in his eyes letting her know exactly what he wanted to do in her bed. "If I'm going to bed, you're coming with me."

"No, I'm not. You're tired. Bed time for you. To sleep," she insisted. He may be super sexy, but she could resist him.

Edward pouted. "Fine."

"Come on." She took his hand, pulling him inside. "Let's get you in bed."

#

Edward knew the witch no longer hid within her home the instant Bella invited him inside. Mentally, he hissed a vicious curse. He came up with a plan, got Emmett on board, for no reason. He'd lost the witch.

Edward sighed, following her across the front yard. He'd find a way to track her down, to explain to his commander he'd let him down. Later. Right now, he needed rest. He'd driven all night, eager to get back to her. Breaking all kinds of speed limits, but it didn't matter. Give him a speeding ticket, like he cared.

The scenery a blur outside his car window, his thoughts consumed of coming home to her. The sooner he did, the sooner their lies ended, and the truth revealed. They could begin a real relationship. One without secrets or lies.

Well, there went his plans of capturing her. He couldn't lock up an invisible woman.

Tired green eyes glued on Bella's shapely backside, he knew not all his plans were ruined thanks to the witch's disappearance. He needed to come clean. To tell her everything so they could work on rebuilding their damaged relationship.

 _I'll do it tonight,_ Edward decided. As soon as he convinced her to join him in bed - he'd never be that fucking tired - and he got a little shut-eye.

Bella went in ahead of him, Edward hesitated on the doorstep. Technically, she'd given him the invitation needed to enter weeks ago. But, what if her wards held firm? If he didn't get a chance to explain his true identity before her house sent him flying? Again.

It didn't.

Oh, the wards were still there. They felt stronger than ever. He felt the energy crackling in the air, pulsating when he stepped over the threshold, stinging his skin as he entered her home for the very first time.

Smiling, he strolled into the living room. The house belonged to Bella alright. Warm and colorful, the furniture fashionable, but obviously chosen for comfort rather than style. The sofa looked so damned soft, Edward wanted to drop down right there.

The book cases rammed, the same applying with the shelves displaying her DVD collection. Photographs of her with, he assumed, her parents, hanging on the walls and fireplace in matching frames.

He headed toward the fireplace, picking up a wooden frame displaying a picture of two women. One dark haired with dark eyes, the other a vibrant blond and an ice blue gaze. Both smiling widely at the camera, both wasted. "Who are they?" he asked curiously.

Bella stood beside him, absently trailing her fingers down his arm and then lower to rest of his hip. A sweet, intimate gesture he adored. Her soft touch warming him to his core. "That's my mom with her friend, Amy. They've known each other for years. She's kind of like a second mom to me."

"I take it, from the picture, they enjoyed themselves," he commented wryly.

"Oh, they did. They're hammered," she confirmed with a giggle. "But if you look in the background, you can see me."

Squinting slightly, he took a closer look. There in the back ground, stood a dark headed woman, head tossed back, cupping her hands beneath something white. A hand dryer, he assumed. "What are you doing?"

"I got pretty intoxicated myself that night. We'd gone into the bathroom, began snapping selfies, as drunken women tend to do. I needed to pee so badly. After stumbling from a stall, I washed my hands, staggering across the restroom to dry them off. For about a minute, I kept smacking my hands against it," she said, gesturing wildly with her free hand. "Trying to get it to work. Then I realized I'd mistaken a paper towel dispenser for a hand dryer, thought it the funniest thing in world and burst out laughing. My mom took this selfie, capturing me in a fit of giggles. Unintentionally, taking a picture of the three of us together. It's one of my favourites."

Grinning, he placed it back in its place. "You went out drinking with your mom?"

She nodded. "Oh yeah. My mom's the best. Can't handle her whiskey, though."

Edward controlled the need to flinch at the mention of wonderful mothers. His few memories of his own mother were painful. His bastard of a father ripping his small body from her arms, riding away on horseback while she screamed after them. Dropping to her knees, she wept uncontrollably in the mud.

Swallowing hard, Edward pushed back his pain for his mother. His hatred for his father. He didn't like to think of either of them. Of the mother he could have had if he were born in this time. Only he was born centuries ago, before the law changed, and his mother never got the chance to be with her son, nor he with his mother.

A wooden spoon caught his attention, dragging him from his past. What kind of person owned half a wooden spoon screwed to a thin plank of wood, standing proud of place on the mantle?

"What's this?" he asked, brushing his fingers over the grooves in the wood.

"It's my trophy." She beamed at him.

"How the hell is this a trophy?" He snatched it up from the mantle, examining the object through narrowed eyes.

Frowning, Bella snagged it out of his grasp. "A couple of years ago, a house caught fire a few blocks from here. A married couple, the Reagan's, lived in that house for years. Nice couple, who kept to themselves. Anyway, one night it caught fire. Something to do with faulty wiring, I think. No one got hurt, they weren't even in town at the time, but visiting her family. Unfortunately, their insurance didn't cover the damage. So, the town got together, collecting money donations, clothes, anything, and Irina decided to hold a quiz night. All the proceeds going to the Reagan's, of course."

"That's kind of her."

"She's a kind lady. With the money she raised, they made their house a home again. People, especially after losing everything, deserve to feel safe, comfortable, in their own home. I signed up with Angela, Becky, Lauren, and a few other friends. The Scrambled Egghead's," she said, her expression rueful. "Angela thought of the name. Declared it appropriate considering we worked in a diner. I don't think she realised only two of the six people on our team worked with food. Or maybe she just didn't care."

"Let me guess, you won the quiz, earning the wooden spoon trophy."

"No, we lost. Came in last place."

To a man like Edward, competitive to his very core, that made absolutely no sense. "Why did you get a trophy for coming in last place? And why would you keep it?"

"Because, despite losing, terribly I might add, I had the best time," she said with a soft smile, her eyes unfocussed. Lost in memories. "We got almost every question wrong. I spent twenty minutes trying to remember Charles Darwin's name. But I don't think two minutes went by without one of us cracking the others up. We ate candy, made fun of Seth, Becky's husband. Positive he'd kick our asses, he ribbed Becky something terrible." Her eyes danced with amusement. "She announced to everyone he'd be sleeping on the sofa until further notice. His team ended up only earning ten points more than we did."

"What did you do after the quiz? Obviously, you didn't go to the bowling alley," he teased.

"We divided up the candy, then went home. Seth didn't sleep on the sofa, but he came pretty close."

He took the trophy from of her grasp. Enjoying hearing stories from her past. "All that got this thing a place on the mantel?"

"I never laughed so much in my life. I never enjoyed myself as much as I did that night," she explained. "I got to spend an evening with amazing women. My new friends."

"What do you mean? Didn't you enjoy growing up here?"

"Not really. I mean, I love this town and I love my family, but sometimes it's hard to be different. Today, if a person is a somewhat quirky, it's almost fashionable. But growing up, I got bullied for it. Not always the confident, amazing woman you see before you, I didn't fit in with the 'cool' kids. They didn't let me forget it, either. To sit at a table full of women who laughed at my jokes, who understood me…It felt wonderful. I love this town, but I always felt different. That night, I teased people I knew of, but never spoke to. I laughed with them, even heckled them. That night, while it might sound silly, I felt like I finally found people who got me. At the end of the night, as the losing team, we got these. A trophy for our failure. So, yes, it gets a place on the mantel. Because it reminds me of a night when I felt, well, not normal, but accepted. You can tease me for it now," she muttered, her cheeks heating.

"No," he shook his head, placed the trophy carefully back in its place. How horrible it must be for someone like her to live in this small town, hiding something so huge about herself. For someone as unique as Bella trying to fit in with the crowd, bullied when she didn't quite pull it off. If he'd been there at the time, felt the way he did for her now back then, he'd slaughter every one of the little bastards.

He'd always been popular. Always treated with respect from his peers. But he'd never been a bully. Never made someone feel like shit because they didn't fit the mold.

Pulling her to him, smiling when her arms automatically circled his waist, Edward brushed his lips across her cheek. No, he decided, she should never wish to change a single thing about herself. Her amazing body caught his eye. Her personality captured his heart.

Holding her in his arms, dipping his head to nuzzle her neck, perfectly content. But, despite his best efforts to appear energetic, he couldn't stifle a yawn.

Bella patted his hip. "Come on you, time for bed."

"I'm not tired." He didn't want to sleep. He wanted to make hot, passionate love to her. Then he'd happily sleep for a week.

"Edward, you're about to fall on your face."

"No, I'm not. Besides, seeing you, holding in my arms, it's giving me a lot of… energy," he finished with meaning.

"Okay." Chuckling, she pulled him by the hand toward the stairs.

He scowled. "I told you, I don't want to go to sleep."

"I know." Casting a flirtatious glance over her shoulder, she said, "I happen to know a sure-fire way to use up some of that energy of yours."

"Oh, really? What might that be?"

"Why don't you follow me upstairs and find out," she invited seductively.

Bella squealed in delight when he rushed her, tossing her over her shoulder like a caveman. "Put me down!" she squealed.

Ignoring her, he raced up the stairs, kicking doors open until he found the room that smelled like honey. Like Bella.

While he might race to the location, he refused to rush toward the destination. Once in her room, they undressed each other slowly. There would be time to take her wildly, later. Right now, he needed to savour. He didn't want to rush a single thing.

Laying her back against soft sheets, he made love to her slowly, tenderly. His gaze locked on hers as he gently took her over the edge. Words of love on his lips, he followed her.

Moments later, with Bella draped over him like a blanket, he closed his eyes, out cold within seconds.

#

Edward woke confused. In a strange room, he didn't recognize a thing. Not a first for him, but something he still found unsettling. He breathed in a deep breath, taking in the scents surrounding him, relaxing instantly.

Bella.

Rubbing gritty eyes, he sat up, the last few hours rushing forward. Throwing Bella over his shoulder and stripping her bare. They made love, he remembered, before he passed out, lack of sleep and stress of the last couple of days finally catching up on him.

 _Where is she?_ Edward wondered, irritated he didn't get to wake with her lush body warm in his arms.

Dragging on jeans, he left her room, bounding lightly down the stairs. Something smelled terrific. His stomach growling, he caught a whiff of the mouth-watering scent filling the air.

Following his nose, Edward padded barefoot to the small kitchen. He found Bella at the kitchen sink, washing small silver dishes he assumed she used to feed the animals.

Walking up behind her, he snaked his arms around her waist, tugging her against him so her back was plastered to his chest. Relishing the feeling when her body melted against his.

"I hope you like cold pizza," she said. "I ordered it over an hour ago. The good pizza place closes early on Monday's. Don't ask me why, it just always has. I figure cold, good pizza is better than hot, disgusting pizza."

"I agree. Cold beats disgusting, hands down." Gathering her hair in his hand, he held it out of his way to nuzzle her neck, moaning against her skin, inhaling her sweet scent. "How long was I out?"

"Three hours. I wish I could take all the credit, but I think it's more to do with lack of sleep rather than my mad skills in the bedroom."

Edward grinned against her silky skin. "Don't sell yourself short, honey. Twenty percent, lack of sleep. Eighty percent, all you."

Bella made a humming sounded, appearing to think about it. "I'll take it. Sit down, I'll bring your food over. I remember you mentioning you liked everything on your pizza." She scrunched her nose in distaste.

"I remember you telling me you didn't like anything on yours. That's just wrong."

"Dude, you like pineapple, peppers, anchovies, and ham on your pizza. That's disgusting."

"I like what I like," he quipped.

"Well, don't expect me to kiss you with anchovy breath. I like what I like, too, buddy. I won't like anchovy breath."

Releasing her, he pressed a hand to his chest as if she wounded him. "You're a hard woman, Bella."

"I know. Now, go sit down. You can eat your gross pizza while I watch my show."

"Or we can take it upstairs, maybe eat it in bed. Naked." He waggled his eyebrows.

She laughed at him. Edward fought the urge to pout. A woman laughing at the idea of getting into bed with a man was never a good thing. "No. That stinky pizza is going nowhere near my bed. The last thing I want to do is roll over in the middle of the night and breathe in that crap. Besides, Angela is coming over to drop off a few things for Angus. So, sorry, no naked pizza night."

"I repeat, you're a hard woman."

"Yeah, yeah. Tell your story walking."

A little while later, after they ate pizza, her favourite television show long over, they snuggled on the couch. With her head on his chest, his fingers lazily tracing patterns along her spine, he'd never felt so at ease. Animals asleep on the rug, the glow from her small television lighting the room, they lay together in comfortable silence. Content.

Edward knew he'd gotten a little side-tracked. He should shut off the television, turn on the light, and spill his guts. Do it now, rip off the band aid, so they can find a way forward. Together.

But every time he opened his mouth, braced himself to spill his secrets, face the repercussions, he froze. After such a perfect evening together, why ruin it?

Tomorrow, Edward promised himself. He'd sit her down and tell her everything, tomorrow.

Angus jumped up, barking viciously, in his mind, at the loud knock on the front door. Bella pushed herself up. "That's Angela."

"Do you need a hand?" he asked quietly.

She gave him an amused look. "Edward, I doubt you'd be much help. You remind me of Todd. I rocked your world in the bedroom, and I fed you. Now all you want to do is go back to sleep." Bending down, she placed a sweet kiss to his lips. "Go to sleep. I won't be five minutes."

He watched her leave through tired eyes. Heard her greet her friend from the diner, but soon their conversation became nothing more than a mumble to him.

He lay there, so damned happy. And impatient for her to return so they could go back upstairs. She said no to pizza, not nudity. He made sure to pay close attention to that part. As soon as she came back, the nudity could begin.

Edward waited for her to return, but as the minutes ticked by, he wondered if she might really need his help. Bella claimed she didn't, but, unless the ladies were busy talking, she needed a hand.

If they were talking, he'd casually try to hurry the conversation along. He'd met Angela a few times, he liked her and respected her as Bella's friend, but at the moment she kept him from stripping Bella bare. Using his tongue to play connect the dots with the tiny freckles scattered over her delicious body. One of his all-time favourite games.

Getting to his feet, he walked to the door. Stepping outside, Edward frowned. _Where is she?_ Taking another step forward his foot caught on something heavy, nearly sending him sprawling to the ground.

Catching himself on the doorjamb, he looked down. Angela lay slumped on the porch, blood trickling from a nasty gash on her forehead.

Edward didn't pay her too much attention. He couldn't.

His eyes spotted movement. Looking up, what he saw terrified him. His breath caught, blood draining from his face, he worried he'd choke on his fear.

Edward thought he feared losing Bella, of her walking out of his life, but it paled in comparison to this awful, horrendous fear he experienced now.

Before his eyes, Edward's worst nightmares came to life.

At the bottom of her neat, tiny front yard, with her body stiff, tears streaming from frightened eyes, Bella stood. The tip of a dagger pressed to her vulnerable throat. Behind her, holding her against her will, hurting her, stood his brother.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

Edward desperately wanted to reject the vision before him.

Replace it with one where Bella didn't stand with a blade pressed to her vulnerable throat. Angela never arrived, his woman remained safely inside her house. This must be a terrible, terrible nightmare. One he'd wake from any moment now.

Only he didn't.

 _Because this isn't a fucking dream_ , he roared in his mind. _It's real._ Now, he needed to strap on a pair, push aside his fear, his worry for Bella, and get his head in the game. As a Warrior, he sure as hell got out of worse scrapes than this before.

But, he admitted, he didn't have as much to lose before. He didn't need to think, fight, with Bella standing in between him and his enemy.

Viciously, he banished such thoughts. If he focussed on who stood behind her, threatening his woman, he'd be no good to anyone.

Dragging his eyes from Bella's ashen face, he glowered at his brother. Became the Warrior even creatures who dwelled in the shadows feared.

Edward embraced his Warrior persona. A man who feared no one. A Warrior known to run into the heart of battle with bare hands, and a 'fuck you' grin on his face.

He didn't look at Bella. If either one of them stood a chance of surviving this mess, he needed to focus on his brother. Not the woman who'd become his world in such a short time. If he did, he wouldn't make it through the night alive.

"Benjamin," he kept his voice, calm, steady. "I'm going to need you to take a step back."

Benjamin's face burned a mottled red, a vein in his temple pulsing. "Don't!" he bellowed. "Don't you dare act like I'm your friend. I'm not your friend." His hand shook, the sharp blade nicking her flesh.

Edward didn't take his eyes off Benjamin, even when his gut twisted at the sound of her whimper. Not when she gasped in pain, the razor-sharp blade slicing her skin. He couldn't look at her, see terror in her eyes. If he did, he'd lose it.

"She hasn't done anything wrong, Benjamin," he continued, never changing his tone. His best shot was to talk him down. To give Bella a chance to run.

Benjamin clenched his eyes tightly shut. Edward noted how his body shook uncontrollably. The rage, adrenaline, too much to control for much longer. Any moment, his brother would snap.

"Benjamin, you don't want to kill an innocent woman."

"Innocent?" he hissed, eyes snapping open to glower at Edward. "She is not innocent. She's just as big of a monster as her sister. She knows what she is, what's she's done, yet protects her. Tell me where she is," he screamed in her ear.

Bella met his eyes defiantly. "Go to hell."

Benjamin's arm tightened, the blade slicing deeper. "You see? She's not innocent. She's just like her sister. They're parasites. Monsters. You know what we do to monsters, Edward? We destroy them."

"No!" Edward shouted, his arm shooting out, as if the action might stop him. Unfortunately, Edward couldn't move things with his mind. As a Warrior, a man born for battle, he'd been gifted with many skills, but not the one he needed most. He'd never felt more useless than in this very moment. "Stop," he ordered, his voice rich with authority.

"Why? So you can go inside and nail her?" Benjamin spat the words. "You can go to Emmett, demand special treatment so you can get your dick wet? You betrayed us. You betrayed Mike."

"I know," he agreed. "But this isn't the way. You know it."

Benjamin shook his head. "No, I don't. We tried it your way, remember? You were supposed to use her to get to the sister, you failed. You failed him."

"I know. I'm sorry. I cared for Mike, too." He wasn't placating him. He did fail Mike, he knew that. He cared for him. But he loved Bella.

"Fuck you. You didn't care about him. You still don't. I cared about him. I miss him. I _loved_ him," he added, his voice implying the love he spoke of went beyond that of brothers.

 _They were lovers_ , Edward realized, storing the information away for later.

"I'm sorry," Edward began again, meaning it.

"It's not good enough. You had your shot, now it's my turn. Either she tells me where her sister is, now, or I slit her throat."

Fury erupted Edward, burning like acid in his veins, the force of it something he never experienced before. He tried to do this the right way. To talk him down. But the time for talking ended the second he threatened Bella's life.

Without stopping to think of the repercussions, he threw off the spell Carmen cast upon him, concealing his true identity. About to do battle with his brother, he embraced the power within.

Instantly, he felt stronger, braver. When a Warrior went into battle, he didn't stop until the enemy lay bloody. Dying at their feet.

When Benjamin stepped foot in Higgins, the second he held Edward's woman against her will, he became Edward's enemy.

On bare feet, Edward moved closer, slowly closing the gap between them. Benjamin might be a good fighter, but not good enough, or strong enough, to defeat Edward. He made a grave mistake coming here, betraying him.

He'd pay for it with his life.

#

 _What the hell is happening?_ One minute, Bella and Edward snuggled on her couch, then Angela knocked the door, dropping off her old dog thing's for Angus. Once outside the house, a man stepped out of the shadows, backhanding her friend, rendering her unconscious. Before Bella knew it, the tip of his knife came way too close to her throat for comfort, her attacker snarling at her to keep her mouth shut.

Dragging her away from her home, his hot, wet breath at her ear, he demanded to know her sister's location.

 _Who the hell is he?_ she thought, frightened. _How does he know Jessica?_

Stubbornly, Bella remained silent. No way in hell would she tell him where to find her sister. She didn't even know her exact location, but doubted he'd believe her if she told him. Despite refusing him, he knew she feared him. This close, he must feel the violent trembles racking her body. The stench of her fear wafting off her skin. In all her life, she'd never been this afraid.

Not only for herself, but for Edward, who lay sleeping peacefully on her couch. She prayed for him to stay that way until she found a way out of this horrifying situation. If he woke, noticed her absence, he might come looking for her. No match for the man standing behind her, he'd get hurt. Or worse, killed.

When Edward stepped onto the porch, bringing life to her fears, her heart sank into her stomach. She wanted to scream for him to get back inside, call the police. Instead, to her shock, he began talking with the man holding her hostage. Called him by name. Even attempted to soothe the male who radiated crazy behind her.

Bella's neck burned, blood trickling down her skin, dripping onto the ivory nightgown she slipped on after Edward fell asleep. Bella sucked in a gasp, flinching as the blade jolted, slicing into her skin.

While Edward pleaded with him to stop, to think about his actions, and Crazy Dude spoke of a man named Mike, Bella phased them both out. She didn't care what they discussed, or what he did to her. This man wanted to harm her sister. Destroy her. Bella planned to find out why.

Breathing deeply, breathing away her fear, Bella opened herself up to the power, a vibrant flame, living within her. Embracing her gifts to get the information she desired.

Concentrating, she felt the spirit of the man behind her and, as smooth as melted chocolate, she entered his mind.

So much sorrow, she saw. Bella never wanted to feel such sadness. Her heart broke for him, despite his sins against her. Digging deeper, she searched for the cause of his grief.

He'd lost the man he loved. Mike. Reaching for his memories, she saw a handsome man with a wicked grin, laying naked in bed with the man behind her. She watched as they kissed, laughed. Felt his devastation when the man, Mike, refused to give him what he needed most. Love. Commitment.

She saw men, soldiers, in battle. Bloody and beaten.

Sucking in a pained breath, she witnessed Benjamin, sobbing over Mike's mangled corpse. Because Bella delved so deeply into his mind, she not only surveyed his emotions through Benjamin's eyes, she experienced them, too. Felt everything he did. His anger toward his people, his all-consuming him grief. His rage.

To her astonishment, she saw Edward. Deep within Benjamin's memories, Bella observed him, standing in an extravagant office, with a group of people. They discussed Jessica. The witch, they called her. Jessica, she discovered, inflicted hideous wounds on Mike's body as he hung, helpless to defended himself. Savagely, she'd taken Mike's life.

After he told her the Bràthaireil were searching for her.

Bella pushed further, a silent onlooker as Edward, her Edward, received orders to travel to Higgins. Use Bella to find Jessica.

The agony of his deceit, a sledgehammer to her chest. A betrayal so painful, it cut to the quick, hurling her from his mind.

What seemed like an eternity to her, was mere seconds to the men standing in her yard. Benjamin continued his rant about Edward's betrayal. Threatening to end her life if she didn't hand over her sister.

Edward, no longer her Edward, seemed to grow. His demeanour changing until he became someone she didn't recognize. He appeared cold, ruthless. She thought of the information she gained from Jessica; the images she caught in her sister's mind.

 _He looks like a Warrior,_ she thought desolately.

Bella felt the energy crackling through the air. A spell being broken. Edward, reclaiming his gifts. The power clinging to him like a second skin. Shaking off a spell concealing the truth from her, she saw him now. Saw a man behind the perfect façade he created.

Bella, unable to stop herself, whimpered as the pain of her loss hit her. Edward Campbell didn't exist. The man she loved turned out to be nothing more than a lie. A character he created to enter her life. Shame joined the toxic batch of emotions swirling around in her stomach, threatening knock her feet from under her, when she thought of how easy she made it for him.

She'd been used. Manipulated. Deceived. Betrayed by the man she loved. A man who didn't exist.

Three things appeared to happen at once. Edward, fierce and glorious in his power, rushed toward Benjamin, a battle cry torn shouted from lips. Benjamin, apparently not willing to part with his hostage, yanked her forward, using her as a human shield.

And a voice spoke from the shadows, bringing everything to a standstill.

"Boys. Boys. There's no need to fight," she purred, stepping into the light. A black dress clinging to her alluring figure, thick hair falling in dramatic waves. A smile curving her red lips, golden eyes took in the scene before her. "I'm right here."

"Jessica," Bella breathed in dismay.

Their gazes collided, held. Her sister's eyes enraged, but when she entered her twins mind, all Bella felt is love. Unconditional love.

 _I'm right here, little sister. Everything will be fine._

Dark eyes widened. Desperate to convey to her twin the danger she placed herself in by coming here. _No. It's not. You must leave. Edward, he…_

Jessica's telepathic voice hardened. _I know exactly what he's done. I promise you, Bella, he will pay. Now, sit back and enjoy the show,_ she added brightly.

Jessica faced Benjamin. "I'm the one you want. Release my sister so we can finish this. Now."

He didn't hesitate. Now he got what he wanted, who he wanted, Benjamin shoved her to the ground. Bella crashed to the ground with a grunt. The force hard enough to jar her bones.

Gentle hands cupped her upper arms, helping her to her feet. Familiar hands. She shoved them away. "Don't you ever touch me again," she warned. She never wanted his hands on her again.

Bella heard his teeth snap together, his frustrated sigh before moving his hands up, placing them on her shoulders. Spinning her around, Edward forced her to face him. Bella refused, watching her sister instead as he spouted more lies. "It's not what you think." Jessica circled her opponent. "Look at me," he snapped.

Bella's gaze flew to his. Such beautiful eyes, she'd once thought. Beautiful eyes on a beautiful man. A man she wanted a future with. Lies, she knew now, and wondered if he'd ever spoken a word of the truth. "It's exactly what I think. Did you really believe you could seduce me into betraying my sister? You're so desirable, so great in the sack, I'd choose a man over her?"

"It's not like that." He hissed out a breath. "Well, at first, yes, but if you'd just listen to me."

She shook her head. "No. I don't want to listen to you. I don't want anything to do with you."

"Bella," Edward beseeched.

She told him the same thing she told Benjamin moments earlier. "Go to hell."

Unable to even look at him for a second longer, she turned. Just in time to see Benjamin and her sister run at one another. A battle to the death beginning.

Bella stood there, terrified, as Benjamin dealt the first blow. Jessica's head snapping back, blood pouring from her nose. Bella whimpered in protest.

Bringing up her hand, Jessica wiped at her nose, smearing blood across her face. As fast as a bolt of lightning, and as lethal, she struck. Backhanding the large male, using her own talents to amplify the force behind the hit. Before Benjamin got to his feet, she loomed over him, striking him again. Showing no mercy, she delivered hit after hit.

Benjamin didn't stand a chance. He may have rage, grief, of his side, but not enough to fight evil. Bella detested herself for even thinking such a thing about her sister, but she refused to hide from the truth. She loved her in spite of it.

Jessica laughed gleefully as she abused him. Her expression wild, sinister, exposing the monster within. Bella winced, watching her beat him to a bloody pulp, taunting him. He came here with vengeance in mind? To take her head, perhaps mount it on his wall, yet he couldn't defend himself.

Benjamin lay there, helpless. Grunting every time she brought her hand down in another vicious blow, blood spurting when his lip split. Breathing laboured, eyes losing focus, and still Jessica continued. Raining down punch after punch, her hands coming away bloody, her knuckles raw. But she didn't stop.

Eventually, he stopped moving. He lay, sprawled on the grass, lifeless.

Panting, Jessica paused in her attack, waiting for him to get up, to try for her again. When he did nothing, she smirked. "Well, if this isn't anti-climactic, I don't know what is. After such a build-up, I looked forward to this battle. This is what I get? You're pathetic." She climbed to her feet. "Even your boyfriend put up more of a fight than you. Though, I must admit, he was good in the sack," she drawled, sauntering toward Bella.

A sigh whooshed out of Bella lungs, her shoulders sagging in relief. While she despaired at the loss of life, happiness warmed her heart. Her sister was safe, the battle behind them.

No one saw it coming. One moment he lay flat on his back, still and lifeless, the next he sprung through the air, landing on his feet with the grace of a feline. Poised behind Jessica with a dagger in his hand.

Bella didn't get the chance to scream. Frowning at her horrified expression, Jessica turned.

Without hesitating, or one last taunt, Benjamin thrust the knife into her chest, past bone and muscle. Piercing her heart.

"No!" Bella screamed, her leg's already moving, rushing toward her sister.

Benjamin, his face a mess, eyes lit with triumph, pulled the blade from her chest. Her sister crumbling to the dirt. She lay there, gasping for breath, blood pooling beneath her.

Bella made it two steps before the ground disappeared from beneath her bare feet. She struggled against his hold, pummelling his arms, tearing his skin with her nails. All to no avail.

A ruthless arm banded around her waist. No matter how much she begged, how loudly she screamed, Edward refused to let her go.

"I'm sorry," he whispered against her cheek. His hand cupping her jaw. His stance protective, supportive, but she didn't care. "I'm so sorry."

"Let me go," she wailed, clawing his skin, nails ripping strips from his arm. "Jessica!" she screamed, jerking frantically in his hold. Her hand releasing him to shoot out, her fingers reaching for her fallen twin.

"You can't save her."

Bella barely heard him. Her eyes pinned on Jessica's still form.

"I don't care. Let me go."

When he refused, for the first time in her life, Bella used her gifts against another human being. Forcing his grasp to loosen, prying his arm from her body as he fought against her magic. He released her so suddenly, with no time to prepare, she fell, landing in the dirt. Pushing up onto her hands and knees, she scrambled to the spot where her sister lay, dark red blood seeping into the grass.

Not knowing what else to do, how to help her, Bella hauled Jessica into her arms, pressing her hand tightly against the gushing wound. Her breath coming in quick pants, Jessica looked up with glassy eyes, her skin white, and as cold as ice.

Smile wobbly, Bella ignored the tears blurring her vision. "It's okay. It's okay." Her head shot to her left where Edward approached. "I said get away." Tossing her head back, she stared up into the night sky, and cried, "Carlisle!"

"He can't come," Jessica whispered from her sister's arms. "I took his energy. I left him with nothing. I needed to get to you."

"Oh no," she groaned. Bella understood perfectly what her sister meant. Jessica, sensing her twin in trouble, stole from Carlisle. Robbing him of his exceptional magic, to get here in time to save her. To protect her twin. Now, the one person with the power to save her, wouldn't arrive in time.

Cradling her sister's face, Bella swallowed a sob, an awful choking sound. She lied, "It's nothing. Just a scratch. You've been through worse than this. You're fine," she promised. She said it would be okay, when really, she wanted to beg. _Please don't leave me_ , she wanted to sob. _Please don't die and leave me all alone. Please._

"Bella," Jessica breathed.

"No," she refused stubbornly, her face soaked with tears. She didn't realize she sobbed. That the sounds of unbearable pain came from her. "It's nothing." Pulling her hand away, she looked down, saw it covered in blood. "Oh god." She gasped, quickly placing her hand back to the open wound.

 _She's dying,_ she thought in anguish. The only reason she still breathed, most likely due to her magic. A human would have died within moments.

Stroking Jessica's hair from her face, Bella smiled at her beloved sister. "I don't want you to worry. Carlisle will come. He'll make everything better. He always does."

Her cheeks lifting in a pained, weak smile, almost reverently, her sister breathed, "Bella."

Jessica breathed her last. Her heart stilling beneath her twin's hand.

Before Bella could react to her sister's abrupt, violent, death. A profound pain tore through her, wrenching a scream from her lips. To her, it felt as if something shattered inside her. Agony so intense it stole her breath, her body hunched over her, attempting to ease her suffering.

Searing pain gripping her as the curse, the fucking curse, finally ended.

As quickly the pain came, it ended.

Emotions, dark and foreign, bombarded her. She'd never experienced such feelings. It took her a moment to realize why she felt such things.

 _The curse_ , Bella comprehended. Darkness invading her, swirling, building, creating a storm within her heart. A storm she didn't know how to control.

They all hit her at once, every emotion formally barred to her. Anger, bitterness, resentment, jealousy, and rage. The most acute of them all? Hate. Hate, so dark, so seductive. Bella wanted to embrace it. Even as it frightened her, it whispered to her. Encouraging her to embrace the beast within.

She didn't try to resist. Instead, she welcomed it. The darkness spread within her, darkening her once bright soul, until she became someone new, different. The Bella she'd once been, forgotten. Now, with rage in her heart, she became a monster. A monster her sister would be proud of.

Her sister…

Like with Jessica, the bond they shared, the love she held in her heart for her twin, was too strong for darkness to taint. She loved her twin, even as hate threatened to consume her.

Bella whimpered. Jessica didn't move. She didn't breathe.

Her mind unwilling to accept what happened. The curse, her reaction, both forgotten.

"Jessica?" She shook her gently. "Jessica?" She spoke a little louder. Shook a little harder. And a little harder again, until she knelt there, frantically shaking her sisters lifeless form. "Jessica, open your eyes," she ordered desperately. "Open them for me, Jessica. Jessica," she screeched.

Bella couldn't breathe. The pain too much to bear.

Not ready to accept defeat, the dreadful truth staring her in the face, she tried again. "Carlisle," she sobbed, as helpless and as lost as child, the force of her weeping shaking the two of them. "Please, help me."

"I'm here."

She craned her neck to see him standing there, his midnight eyes bleak. "Please. You need to save her," she begged, once again sounding like a lost little girl. "Please, save her."

Carlisle dropped to one knee, uncaring of the dirt ruining his clothes. The blood. He placed a large hand to Jessica's chest and flinched. Carlisle's tanned face paled as misery bled into his eyes. "I'm sorry, little one. She's already gone."

Bella shook her head, fresh tears scalding her cheeks. "No," she denied. "No, I won't believe it."

His voice tender, grief in his eyes, Carlisle placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, little one. It's time to take her home now. Come." He held out his hand to her.

Bella stared at it with desolate eyes. Crushed, she sat there. He planned to take her away? Take her home? _Her home is here_ , she thought. _With me._

As she sat there, her world crumbling around her, Bella felt something stir deep inside.

Rage.

White hot, rage.

She spotted them. The Bràthaireil. Benjamin looked on, dispassionately. He didn't care about her pain. He killed her sister. He'd done this.

And Edward…

He lied to her. Used her. Most likely lead Benjamin here. He didn't deliver the blow, but that sure as hell didn't absolve him of his crime.

Looking at them, her face wet, but her eyes clear, she warned, "Remember this moment. You may have started this war, but I'll be the one end it," she gritted out behind clenched teeth. "I will not stop until I slaughter every last one of you."

Placing her hand in Carlisle's, she nodded slightly. Holding her sisters cold, lifeless body to her chest, Bella closed her eyes and disappeared.

#

"It's time, Clara."

Shaking her head, Bella pleaded, "Just a little longer."

"You've sat here for hours."

Yes, Bella had sat there for hours. Her dead twin cold in her arms, she rocked them gently from side to side.

Carlisle brought them here, to his home. The best place for them, he claimed, to say goodbye to the woman they both loved. To grieve. Even Bella didn't know the exact location of his home. The few times she visited, he used teleportation. As a child, she'd mistaken his towering house for a castle.

His home sat nestled by what seemed like endless forest, not another soul for miles. Exactly what Carlisle needed to live peacefully.

His home, large and extravagant. Each room tastefully decorated. Apart from the kitchen and bathrooms, art hung from every wall. First edition books sat in the library. Music never played within the walls. He didn't care for noise of any kind, she learned over the years, preferring quiet, instead.

Bella sat at the base of stone steps, leading to an intricately carved door. Behind that door, a burial chamber. One Carlisle built himself after the death of her parent's. His friends. The only key permitting entry inside, hanging on a silver chain around his neck.

Visiting once before, she remembered what awaited her. Darkness. Steps Carlisle carved out with his bare hands. A small room at the end of a narrow hallway. Bella shuddered upon entering years before. No sunlight shined in the chamber, or fresh air.

Surrounded by flickering candles, in the centre of the room stood two marble busts. One of a man, and one of a woman. The male ruggedly handsome, with a slightly bent nose and strong jaw. The female, breath-takingly beautiful with wide eyes and delicate features.

Bella knew their faces. She knew their names.

Amelia Rose and David Sayer.

Now, Carlisle wanted Jessica to join them in that horrid little room. Bella wouldn't allow it, not yet. Because if he did, if he locked her in a chamber filled with death, it made it real.

Looking down at her sister's still face, Bella thought she looked peaceful. As if she merely slept.

"Why didn't you save her?" she asked quietly, accusingly. "I know you could've healed her. You've done it before."

Jessica got into more than a few scrapes over the years. Once she embraced the darkness within her, it meant getting her hands a little dirty, she once drawled after a particularly bad run in with a pack of shape shifters. Since the night she murdered her parents while they slept, she'd been in one battle after the other.

Some nights, injured terribly, her bone's broken, Carlisle would rush to her side. He'd find her, no matter where she might be in the world, and heal her.

Not with his abilities, healing being one of his few restrictions when it came to his great power. No, he didn't heal her, but twins, in the magical world, always shared a certain bond. Created before birth, it allowed him to will Bella's energy, her life force, to her twin. He sent it into her sister, boosting the healing process. Channelling what Bella offered freely, from thousands of miles away, to aid Jessica.

Not something they practiced a lot over the years, Carlisle claimed it too dangerous to make a habit of using. He'd been right.

Last time, after getting into a turf war with a bunch of demons in Paris, Bella feared she might lose her. Jessica called to Carlisle, like Bella had tonight, knowing he'd hear her, pleading with him for help.

He'd almost taken too much that night, Bella remembered. Jessica needed more than her body could handle. Jessica healed quickly, up and about the next day with only a few aches as a reminder. Bella fell into a coma. Her parents a complete mess, her friends praying for her recovery, and her doctors at a loss. They didn't understand why a twenty-four-year-old woman, healthy and active, out of nowhere, slipped into a coma. No amount of tests, or prayers, woke her.

Two long weeks later, Bella opened her eyes as if nothing happened.

Only she, Jessica and Carlisle, knew what truly happened that day. The lengths they'd both gone to so Jessica could live.

Carlisle brought her back from the brink of death before, so why did he refuse to even try tonight?

Carlisle sighed, lowering himself to the hard, unyielding steps. His dark eyes dejected as they travelled over Jessica's still form. "I arrived too late. She drew too much power from me. I admit, I didn't think it possible for her to do such a thing. By the time I regained the ability to even stand, I was already too late."

"No, it's not." she said adamantly. "You've done it before. Used me, my strength, to heal her. You can do it again."

"I can't. The last time it almost killed you. Also, this is entirely different. The amount I'd need to drain from you to bring her back to life, it's too much. The odds of you surviving are slim."

"I don't care," she snarled. "I'll do anything. Please bring her back." Her eyes pleaded with him to grant her request.

"No."

Bella glared. Oh, it felt good, this anger bubbling inside. To feel something other than the agony of her loss. "You promised to protect us. You said you'd keep us safe. Yet you sit here refusing me?"

Carlisle placed a hand on her shoulder, his face stoic when she shrugged off his touch. "I cannot take the life of one sister to save another. I refuse to do it. What do you think will happen when your sister opens her eyes to find you lying dead beside her? You know her. Her anger, her thirst for revenge, it's too great. She'd be unstoppable. If you need to hate me, so be it. I must think of the greater good."

"The greater good? You mean, you'd rather she die and deal my grief, because it's easier?" she demanded scathingly.

"If your sister sat here, you in her arms, we both know what she'd do. Declare war on the Bràthaireil. On anyone who stood in her way. If you died she'd become even more dangerous. I couldn't possibly allow her to live."

Bella scoffed bitterly. "Funny, it's not the first time someone's declared my sister too dangerous to live." Looking at him, utter misery in her eyes, she begged, "Please. For me. Please, will you at least try?"

"I'm sorry," he replied. "I can't. I won't." His expression hardened. "Now, I need you to pull yourself together. She is gone. You need to let her go."

Bella shook her head adamantly. "I can't," she whimpered, her eyes filling. "I can't let her go. I won't."

"Then you leave me no choice," he muttered, regret obvious in his tone.

Closing his eyes, Bella felt his magic crackle through the air. Beneath his hand, Jessica's icy flesh turned to ash.

"No," Bella protested, her words no more than a whisper. Her beloved sister taken away from her for the second time. First, her spirit, and now, her sister's body ripped from her.

Bella sat, arms unbearably empty, covered in her twin's blood. With Jessica gone, she had nothing, no one. Sitting there, something shattered inside her heart. A part of herself she'd never get back.

A part of Bella died on those very steps. It turned to ash along with her sister's corpse, floating away with her in the breeze. They came into this world together, bonded by love and magic. And now, on some level, they left together.

Light fading from her eyes, her face hard as the stone she sat on, her overwhelming despair vanished. As if someone flipped a switch, her pain ceased. She no longer begged Carlisle, or the gods in the sky, to bring her twin back.

She felt no pain, no regret. Only a simmering rage building in her chest.

Sitting there, her sister's blood dry on her clothes, her skin, Bella knew what she needed to do next.

"We'll get through this. I promise." Appearing to sense the change in her, he took her by the shoulders, making her to face him. Paling, he said, "Please, Clara. Don't let this turn you into someone you're not. Don't lose yourself in your grief."

She didn't bother pretending to misunderstand. "I didn't start this war, Carlisle. They did," she said, her tone flat.

"No," he said gently. "She did. She killed one of their own. She tortured him mercilessly, for _information_. They retaliated because of something she started. You know this."

When she nodded slightly her agreement, he appeared startled. Did he expect her to argue? "You're right. She did start the war between them," she murmured, staring off into the distance. Her eyes shot to his suddenly. "They started it with me. They sent someone to my home to get close to me. To lie to me. Manipulate me into thinking I loved Edward Campbell. Oh, he did a bang-up job, too. I believed him. I thought him the perfect man for me. Nice and normal. A man who loved me, who I could see spending the rest of my life with. When, all along, he plotted. Waited for the right moment to attack. They started the war between us. They used me, Carlisle. They used me to help them murder my sister. I will not let that go. I can't."

"You must," he insisted firmly. "I've lost one of you. Please don't make me lose the other."

Tilting her head to one side, she asked, "Why? Why should I forgive this? Forgive them? They made a huge mistake tonight, Carlisle. By killing Jessica, they gave me my free will. I'm no longer bound by the curse. They started this battle. It will only end when I rip out their hearts, the way they ripped out mine."

"Don't do this," he begged. "They are not men to be trifled with."

Her smile dark, a sly gleam in her eyes. "Neither am I."

"I'm serious. They are dangerous."

She snorted derisively. "How dangerous can they be? They couldn't get to my sister, so they spied on me. Used me to find Jessica, like cowards. I think I can handle them."

Pushing to her feet, she walked away from him.

"Where are you going?" he called after her.

Without looking back, she replied, "For a walk. I've got a lot of planning to do."

"Clara, look at me."

She stopped, turned, her expression blank. "What?"

"Please, don't do anything rash. Take time to think, to grieve, before you start a war."

Bella startled him again, she saw, when she nodded her head. "Fine."

#

Bella sat back on her heels. Staring into eyes more familiar to her than her own.

Two days ago, she held her sister while she bled to death in the middle of her front yard. Two days ago, her curse ended. No longer did she feel all-consuming anguish the way she did the night her sister died.

Apart from her gathering fury, her thirst for revenge, Bella didn't feel at all.

Blessedly numb concerning her weaker emotions, she didn't cry or plead. Her breath didn't catch whenever she thought of how quickly things changed. Her heart no longer ached when she remembered when she lost.

Bella no longer begged Carlisle to bring her sister back. She didn't speak to him at all.

Since returning from her walk two days ago, she sat in the dark and plotted. Being numb didn't distract her from her course of action. She knew what she wanted, and now, how to get it.

Bella couldn't be reasoned with. Or swayed. She considered it a privilege to make them pay for the crimes they committed against her.

Every last one of them.

Bella gazed into her sister's eyes. Jessica's face now memorialized on a marble bust, sitting between her mother and father. Bella used her growing abilities to create the masterpiece. Jessica would be proud, she finally embraced her talents. What a shame it took death to give Bella the nudge she needed.

The candles surrounding her family came to life with a wave of her hand. Orange flames flickering, casting their smooth faces in eerie shadows.

A red satin cloak covered her wealth of dark hair. Red being the colour of mourning amongst her people. Bella sat there, her empty brown eyes fastened on the objects in front of her. Her family staring back at her. All of them gone. Dead.

Leaving Bella wholly alone.

Her ties to her family, her friends, even Carlisle, not enough to withstand her grief, her loss. The love she once felt for them not nearly enough to fight the evil growing within.

"What are you thinking about?" Carlisle asked from the darkest corner of the room.

It didn't surprise her to hear his voice, discover he joined her. He watched her closely since her return. Most likely waiting for the moment she snapped. Bella didn't find his vigilance an over-reaction.

"Since when do you ask? Don't you normally go rifling through my head?" She didn't turn to him, her eyes glued on the faces in front of her.

"I'm asking now. What are you thinking about?"

Bella sighed softly. "I'm thinking," she said slowly, "that it's so incredibly quiet in my mind. All my life she's been there. A voice, a sensation that I didn't understand at first, but never questioned. For twenty-nine years, we experienced it all together. The miles, the oceans, separating us meant nothing. Now, it's silent. Her voice, gone. I can think of nothing but how stupid I've was. We could be thousands of miles away by now. Together. But I wanted my silly dream. With him."

"It's not silly," Carlisle objected, gently.

Bella continued as if he hadn't spoken. "I thought he might be the one. I believed him when he claimed to love me. I never questioned our relationship. I thought him perfect for me. He played me for a fool."

"I saw him that night. I saw the way he looks at you. Perhaps his feelings for you are sincere."

"I don't care," she answered honestly. "I've also thought about what I will do next. What my next move will be."

"Have you decided?" he asked cautiously. She sensed his tension coming off him in waves. His fear for her.

"Yes. I'm going to after the Warriors. I'll make them suffer. I'll show them what a huge mistake they made when they came for us. When they _murdered_ my sister. I'll show them what a colossal mistake they made by not killing me when they had the chance."

"Clara," he objected.

"No, Carlisle. You told me to stop, to think, before I started a war. I did."

"It's been two days," Carlisle protested.

"Two days, or two months, it doesn't matter. I know what I need to do. I've decided to make them pay. All of them. Every single person who played a part in tearing my family apart. I'll track down every one of them. Make them suffer."

"You can't be serious. You're planning on going after the Warrior's? You'll never defeat them."

She snorted delicately. "Oh, I'll defeat them. One by one if necessary. Then, after I'm done erasing them from this world, I'll go after the covens."

Carlisle moved silently, looming over her. "What did you just stay?"

Unaffected by him, she replied calmly, "I'm going after them. I'll burn their homes to the ground while they're trapped inside. They will pay for what they did to my family. For nearly three decades, they've lived happy, full lives, while we've hidden in the shadows. I won't tolerate it."

"Are you insane? You are only beginning to discover what you are truly capable of. If you declare war on them, they'll destroy you. Clara," he crouched down beside her. "Please, think about what you're about to do."

"I have. If not for the curse, a curse my uncle created, we'd live happy, normal lives. If they didn't order our execution, we'd be raised together. My parents wouldn't burn to death, my sister consumed by darkness. I've thought this through, Carlisle. This is what I need to do."

He shook his head, his jaw clenched. "I won't allow it."

"That's just the thing," she spoke quietly. "You can't stop me."

Like lightening, her hand shot out, fingers clamping around his thick wrist. Her eyes on his, she summoned her magic. She felt no shame, no regret, as she drained him of his strength, his power. Like Jessica did two days prior.

Gritting her teeth against the force of his power, it coursed in to her, stinging as flowed through her veins. Such a rush. Like nothing she'd ever felt before. She'd been aware of his power, the abilities she couldn't even begin to imagine, but she'd underestimated him.

 _It's like a drug_ , she thought. And she wanted more.

Magic, Bella discovered recently, is all about will. Despite what the television stated, a witch wasn't gifted with one ability. Magic, power, was all about willing something into fruition. Some people didn't have the strength to summon numerous powers, never mind master them. Lower level witches, like her adoptive parents. Weak. They didn't inhabit tremendous power the way Jessica, or Carlisle, did.

She'd been one of those weaker witches. Unable to do much more than make a couple of instruments come to life. Not anymore.

Soon, Carlisle's magic would leak out of her, returning to its natural host, but now she'd gotten a taste, Bella didn't want it to end. She knew how to tap into that part of her now. She knew how to get the power she needed to seek justice.

Soon she'd be unstoppable.

"Clara," he muttered before slumping to the ground.

Rising to her feet, Bella brushed at the ivory dress she wore, tossing her cloak to the ground. Tonight didn't involve grief, but retribution.

"Don't worry. It'll wear off soon. You'll be back to full strength in no time."

Carlisle lay there, on the stone floor, his eyes silently pleading with her.

Bella looked at him through cold, uncaring eyes. "Yes, you'll be back in fighting form soon. Unfortunately, for you, it will be too late."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

He'd done it. Taken out the witch who slaughtered Mike, and probably thousands more. He was a hero. And what did he get in return for his efforts? Reprimanded. Threatened. Attacked. And, the most humiliating of all, confined to his quarters, like a rookie in need of punishment. A prisoner in his own home.

Slamming his fist into the wall, splitting the skin on his knuckles, Benjamin hissed a curse. He'd done what the great, amazing, Edward couldn't. Destroyed a monster. A monster who Emmett, Jasper, and the traitor, intend to let live.

Why should she be shown mercy, when she'd never shown any herself? Simply because Edward's current squeeze might be upset?

What about him? What about Mike's true brothers? The one's who searched day and night for something, anything, that could lead them to the witch. To discover Edward knew her location for over a month… How did he sleep at night?

Pacing back and forth his prison, Benjamin's temper forbade him to calm. To sit on a comfy bed, waiting for Emmett to grant him his freedom.

He thought back to the night Tanya knocked on his bedroom door. At first, he resented her waking into his private space in the middle of the night. As if she thought it her right to traipse around his room, touching his things. Then she shared with him every sordid detail. He didn't believe her at first, branded her a liar. After all, she'd been doing Campbell a while back, obviously she was still bitter over the way he tossed her away like garbage. Clearly, she wanted to get back at him.

Benjamin's doubt didn't last long. Offering to show him proof, she entered his mind. Couldn't witches just stay inside their own skull for once? He wondered as she surged past any mental defences he owned.

Despite his reservations, his resentment didn't last long after seeing the truth with his own eyes.

Tanya encouraged him to follow Edward to Bella Steven's home town. Get her alone and force her to tell him where her sister hid.

Benjamin followed her instructions happily. While not exactly going to plan, he finally exacted his revenge. And it felt magnificent. He fought the witch, lulled her into thinking victory neared. That's when he struck.

Nothing felt as exhilarating, comforting, as plunging his blade deep within her cruel, cold heart. Now, with her death, Mike's soul might find peace. His murder finally avenged.

He'd always love Mike, always remember the time they shared, but witnessing her fall the ground, he found closure. He could move forward with his life now.

Just as soon as Emmett allowed him to leave his room, Benjamin fumed.

"Nice place you've got here. Or it would be without the fist sized hole in the wall," a feminine voice drawled from behind him.

Benjamin spun, fist raised and ready to strike. Ready for an attack. His gaze locking on the beautiful woman standing in the centre of his room. Her golden eyes glowing, she smiled at him.

 _This can't be real_ , he silently denied, recognizing her as the woman he killed days before.

It dawned on him. The witch might be dead, but her sister remained very much alive. Somehow, she must have entered the mansion. His bedroom.

"Hello Benjamin. It's nice to see you again."

#

Panting, his body slick with sweat, Edward tossed and turned beneath thin sheets.

Mumbling, his right arm shot out. Reaching for the woman inside a tornado. A woman he lost. He called for her in his dream. She stood, as still as stone, big eyes haunted as she refused him.

Face ashen, wet with tears, her trembling form covered in her sister's blood. She stood, frozen, eyes locked on him as Edward fought his way to her. Despite screaming wind, he heard her softly spoken words clearly.

 _"_ _You lied to me," she accused quietly. Her hair danced in the wind._

 _"_ _I can explain. I didn't have a choice," he swore to her. "I did lie to you. But not when it came to us." Edward desperately tried to explain, continuing his battle against the elements. Like on a treadmill, he walked, he ran, but he never got anywhere._

 _Bella stood in the eye of the storm. "Every word you say is a lie. You betrayed me."_

 _"_ _No." Edward shook his head in fierce denial. "I went to Jasper. I went to Emmett. I asked them to think of another way to stop your sister. I asked him to imprison her."_

 _"_ _It doesn't matter," she whispered, sounding hopeless. "She's dead. It's all your fault. You killed her."_

 _"_ _No," he said adamantly. "I tried to stop it from happening. I tried to think of a way to save her. For you."_

 _His words angered her. Eyes narrowing, she gritted out, "You lied. You stood there, holding me back while he ran her through."_

 _"_ _To protect you. You couldn't save her, and I feared Benjamin might turn on you. I couldn't risk losing you."_

 _"_ _It doesn't matter. She's dead. Because of what you did." She glared at him. "I hate you," she hissed._

 _He stopped dead in his tracks. Her words a punch to the gut. "No." Edward refused to believe it._

 _Bella didn't hate him. She loved him._

 _"_ _I hate you," she repeated cruelly._

 _"_ _That's not true."_

 _She's the only person he'd ever loved. The only one he needed. This couldn't be happening. "I did everything in my power to change her fate. I promise you, I did."_

 _"_ _Lies!" she snapped. "More lies."_

 _"_ _I did," he insisted. "I went to Emmett. I turned a blind eye to things I knew were shady. I knew, in my heart, my gut. I knew she'd wormed her way into your life, your house, but I did it for you. I did it so we'd be together."_

 _"_ _No," she refused. The storm around them dying abruptly. The wind soft, calm. Leaving the two of them to face one another._

 _Expression stark, she spoke. "You killed my sister. There are some things you can never come back from," she said, echoing Jaspers word's from before._

 _"_ _Bella," he began. "Baby, if you'll just listen to me. If you give me a chance to explain, we can fix this. It doesn't need to end this way." It couldn't end this way._

 _"_ _No, I don't want to fix it. I don't want you."_

 _Her words, word's he feared more than anything, destroyed him. Striking his heart with the force of a wayward wrecking ball. He feared this moment. Praying for it to never come true._

 _Some prayers just weren't meant to be answered._

 _"_ _You don't mean that," Edward said, his voice trembling._

 _"_ _I do," she replied firmly. "You used me. You hurt me. I hate you for it."_

 _"_ _Bella," he pleaded, but she took a step away from him. Backing away until no longer in sight. Lost to him. His eyes scanned the barren world around him. She walked away, leaving him alone. "Bella?"_

"Bella!"

Edward shot up in his bed, layers of cold sweat glistening his skin, his sheet's damp. Dragging a hand down his face, he decided it didn't take a genius to decipher his dream.

Groaning, Edward swung his legs to the floor, resting his elbows on solid thighs, he hung his head. He lost her. After doing everything possible to prevent it, he lost her in the end.

Lost her due to his secrets, his deceit. Because he didn't lift a finger to stop Benjamin that night.

He wanted to claim everything happened so quickly, but feared speaking such words, to even think them, would only be another lie. In his heart, he wanted the witch dead as much as his brother. Jessica, the witch's name, pounded the shit out of his brother. He believed Benjamin on deaths door.

Benjamin played possum. Waiting until she thought him down for the count before making his move. He killed the witch, saving the day. Stopping a brutal monster from taking another life.

And destroyed Bella in the process.

Edward, if he lived another hundred years, would never forget the sight of her. Frantic, screaming for release her, clawing at his arms to get to her twin.

Edward brushed his fingers across the light grooves now marring his skin. Scars from her short fingernails.

Edward did nothing to help her. His only thought her protection. Benjamin appeared a wild man, his eyes, his smile, savage as he stood over the witch. Every instinct Edward possessed, screamed at him to get Bella out of there, away from his brother.

Bella didn't care, she hurled him from her. Racing to her sister, who lay bleeding on the ground, dying.

His heart squeezed painfully. The image of her holding her dead sister in her arms, crammed in his mind. She sobbed as if her heart were breaking. Brushing off her sisters fatal wound as nothing more than a scratch. Then, when her sister breathed her last…

No, Edward thought, he'd never be able to wipe such an image from his memories.

He spent two days thinking of all the things he should have done differently. Telling the truth, he came to believe, the only thing that might have made a difference. Push aside his fear of her rejection and explained everything. Maybe if he'd been brave enough to face the consequences, she'd be with him now.

Instead, he indulged himself. Took a nap, made sweet, slow love to his woman. Ate cold pizza while watching crappy television. He put off telling her. Who knew where they'd be now, if only he told the truth. Who knows? The witch might still be dead. But, if Bella knew the part he played, forgave him, she'd come to him for comfort, for support.

But Edward didn't speak up. He continued his lies, and, in doing so, became her enemy.

Amid her sorrow, she'd worn revenge. He believed her. That night, something happened to her, she'd changed. The curse, he thought, broken with her sister's death. No longer bound by the laws of her curse, she felt every emotion. He'd seen rage burn bright in her eyes. Hate.

Edward didn't know what to do, what to say, to fix things. She hated him for the part he played in her sister's murder. Knowing this, he accepted the truth. He'd lost her. Lost the future he wanted to share with her.

Edward remembered the words Jasper said to him. _There are some things you cannot come back from._

Edward didn't know what to do now. Hiding in his room forever, didn't seem like a mature option. The witches, most likely afraid he'd follow through with his threats to decapitate Tanya, refused to leave their room, Jasper informed him. No matter what Emmett tried, locking Benjamin in his room, he couldn't protect him from Edward's wrath forever. When he finally got his hands on him, he'd make the little bastard pay. If Benjamin waited, like a fucking day, if he followed commands, none of this would be happening.

Bella, the woman he loved more than anything, might still be with him.

Accepting his loss, he prayed she found a way to move forward with her life. He doubted he'd ever earn her forgiveness, but he wished for her to find peace. More than anyone, Bella deserved happiness.

#

Bella noted the fear in his eyes. Quickly banked, replaced with cunning. Before he stood a chance of following through with any plans of attack, she raised her hand. The floor vanishing beneath his feet, Benjamin grunted, his back smashing into the wall, Bella's magic pinning him place.

"Oh no, you don't," she murmured, dragging his body down the wall until they were face to face. She wanted to look her sister's murderer in the eyes. She needed to.

Breathing harsh, he struggled against the invisible hands holding him captive. "What do you want?"

"What do I want?" Bella queried darkly. "I want my sister back. I want to hold her in my arms, hear her laughter. I want to feel her presence in my mind, because the silence is _deafening_. But, I can't. Because you took her from me."

Benjamin had the balls to smirk. "Yes, I did. I wiped a monster, who killed innocent people, from this earth. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

"Your hands are pristine, I take it. You've never killed, or hurt, anyone."

His gaze flickered. Oh, yes, he'd killed. He'd hurt countless people. She could see it in his eyes. His hands were just as bloody as her sisters. "It's not the same. I killed to protect, not because I get my kicks from it."

Auburn brows rose. "Really? You can't lie to me. I can see inside your head. You've gone to wars, not knowing the reason behind them, because someone ordered it. And mostly, because you liked it. The blood and violence. You killed my sister out of revenge, for a man who didn't even care for you."

Benjamin snarled. Trying in vain to launch himself at her. "You don't know what you're talking about. Bitch."

Bella's smile became as cruel as her words. "I know what I saw in my sister's mind. Your man, Mike, he willingly took her to bed. He enjoyed every second. You, the man who loved him, the furthest thing from mind. He didn't want you. I can see it in your eyes, you naively thought he simply needed time. The pair of you being Warrior's, it must not be easy to be a gay man amongst all these small minded, testosterone ridden Neanderthals. Mike feared what they'd say, what they'd think. That's what he told you, right?"

He glowered at her.

Her expression smug, Bella said in sing song, "He lied. You were nothing but an easy lay when he felt a little frisky," she taunted him. "He never intended to go public, you know that? Not because you're a man, and not because the Bràthaireil is one gigantic boys club. What will they think if it got out two 'brothers' got it on behind closed doors? He didn't care. He wasn't ashamed of his sexuality; he just didn't want you." She cocked her head to the side. "How can you not see that?"

"You're making this up. You never even met him," he snarled. But her words affected him, she could sense. Doubt flared in his eyes, along with a good dose of pain. Good.

Bella stepped close, tapping a red painted fingernail against his forehead. Delighted when he recoiled from her touch. "You thought it yourself, us witches have trouble staying inside our own skull's. Let me put it this way, your boyfriend slept with my sister, who picked around inside his brain like a chubby kid at an Easter egg hunt. She enjoyed every second. The only thing she didn't know, thanks to the Bràthaireil's protection, is who sent him. Then, bless her heart, when she came to stay with me, my sister filled me in on the rest. She enjoyed the drama of it all. Look into my eyes, Benjamin. You know it's the truth."

He held her gaze. Obviously, wanting to deny it. Failing, because she spoke the truth.

"Aww," she mocked when a single tear rolled down his cheek. "It hurts, doesn't it? Finding out the man you love doesn't give a shit about you? Trust me, I know what you're going through. I know because your people placed Edward Campbell in my life for the exact same reason. To use me. Seduce me. Slyly getting information about my sister. So, you, you little bitch, could come to my home and murder her."

"And I did," he spat. "I fucking loved it."

Benjamin's head snapped back from the force of her blow. His face, slowly healing from Jessica assault thanks to his advanced genetics, now raw on his left cheek.

Bella hadn't moved an inch. She didn't need to touch him to injure him. Her borrowed gift of teleportation, thank you Carlisle, fading soon after entering the mansion, but the ability to strike him using only her mind? All Bella.

Still, as much as she'd like to slap him silly, Bella did have a pretty tight schedule to keep.

"That isn't a very nice thing to say. I've never been a fan of violence, but you should know better than to bring up my sister. It's kind of a sore subject."

"Well, excuse me, but I don't give a rat's ass."

Bella stared into his eyes, searching. "No, you couldn't care less," she agreed softly. "I've never hurt a single person in my entire life. I got good grades in school, a good daughter to my parents. A great fiancé, for a while, but we won't get into that. The point is, I've never hurt anyone. I didn't hurt you. Or your people. But you see my pain, my loss, as nothing. Collateral damage. Acceptable. You don't care that you butchered the one person I love. You took from me what my sister stole from you. The person you love the most. Something worthy of death, in your mind. Yet, because it's me, you don't care."

"No. I don't," he agreed easily.

She nodded, her lips firming. "Okay. Well, since you think it's fine to rip out my heart, how about we tear out yours? See how you feel about it then?"

Benjamin scowled. He opened his mouth, probably to blast her with another one of his witty comments but didn't get the chance. His words, whatever he intended to say, turning into a bloodcurdling scream.

Bella, true to her words, bunched her fist, plunging it into his chest. Slowly, excruciatingly, extracting her hand, using her new-found abilities to take his unfeeling heart with her.

Eyes bulging, face red from pressure, pain, Benjamin made a gurgling sound in the back of his throat. Her smiling face the last thing he saw before taking his final breath.

Bella released him, his body slumping to the ground. With a look of distaste, she tossed his heart on to his corpse. With no one around to see the disrespectful act, it didn't pack much of punch, but still, she didn't want it.

Bella's head shot up, hard golden eyes darting to the bedroom door, she heard heavy footsteps heading her way. Her lips curving into a slow smile, anticipation causing her breath to quicken. They heard his scream, most likely their commander felt him die, a gift Jessica once told her he possessed, and they'd all coming running.

Bella shifted, turning her body to face the door. Waiting patiently for the men coming for her.

#

Edward heard Benjamin's scream from across the house. Dragging on loose pants, he raced through endless hallways, ready to help his brother despite the damage he caused.

What he saw upon entering Benjamin's bedroom, turned his blood to ice.

The woman of his dreams, his nightmares, stood above Benjamin's torn, lifeless body. Right hand dripping with blood from elbow to fingertips. Her charm bracelet, a bracelet she refused to take off, now covered in Benjamin's blood. Eyes catching movement, he saw Emmett, his fierce some commander, pinned against the wall, restrained by a force even he couldn't begin to fight.

"Bella," Edward breathed, appalled, continuing to scan the room. The witches arrived before him, he noticed. On the floor, their golden eyes glaring holes into Bella's head. If they attempted to use their own magic against her, she didn't appear affected. He heard his brothers coming, knew they'd mow her down to save their leader.

Edward slammed the door shut. Hiding them from sight, giving him much needed seconds to talk her down. Protecting them, before they did something stupid, like tried to kill her.

"What did you do?" he breathed.

Her wide golden eyes didn't belong to his Bella. Bella's eyes, a warm, soft chocolate brown. The eyes looking at him were ice cold. Unfeeling. They reminded him of her sister. Of the witch. In that moment, he feared she'd fallen too far for him to save.

Blinking once, she said, "I ripped out his heart." The word 'obviously', implied in her tone. "I enjoyed every second of it." Her gaze, that of a dangerous predator, flickering to his murdered brother before returning to Edward. "Now, I'll rip out yours."

Sounds of loud banging came from behind him. His brothers ready to break down the door.

"Stand down!" he bellowed.

"But, Edward," Jasper started to protest.

"I mean it, Jasper," he snapped. "Stand down."

The pounding stopped, but his orders only bought him so much time.

Edward looked at the woman he loved.

He didn't attack. He didn't run. He stood there, eyes gentle with love and understanding. "You don't need to do this," he told her softly.

"I really do," she replied. Her hands, one clean, one dripping Benjamin's blood on the carpet, flipped, palms facing up. To everyone's terror, fire covered the walls. Torching every book and every painting.

Emmett began to panic, to cough as smoke drifted toward him, heat creating beads of sweat along his temples. Edward, overcome with fear for his family, for her, tried to reach her. "Bella, I know you're hurting, but what choice did we have? The things your sister did, not only to Mike, but to others, were unforgivable."

Not exactly what she wanted to hear, he knew, but true. Her sister, as much as Bella loved her, hurt countless people. Slaughtered them. The thought gave him pause. Made him see asking for special treatment was wrong.

While Bella hated him for it, he'd been sent to find, to destroy, a monster. He allowed his feelings to cloud his judgement because he wanted to keep the woman he cared for. He should have known better.

"So you murdered her?" she replied. "I don't care what she did, who she hurt. She's my sister. You used me as bait to draw her out." She bit out the words, her anger rising. "Then you forced me to stand there, helpless, while your friend rammed a _fucking dagger_ through her heart. You used me to help you kill the only person I love in this world."

 _She's in pain_ , Edward thought. Buried deeply beneath her rage, her hatred, he saw the truth.

Bella might be deadly in this moment, but he remembered his dream. Of Bella, lost, and in pain. In his dream, he failed to reach her. He refused to fail now. He'd reach her, the woman behind the anger, before she lost herself forever.

Edward slowly closed the gap between them, ignoring the flames and smoke. Ignoring his brother's broken corpse, and his furious mentor. He walked up to her, tenderly cradling her face. He didn't hesitate to touch the woman who took another's life only moments ago. She may be buried deep, but his Bella lived. He'd be the one to find her. To bring her back.

Edward refused to lose her to the darkness he helped create.

"That's not true. It started that way, yes," he said honestly. "But I fell for you. I knew what would happen if you found out I helped destroy her. I'd lose you. I wanted to find another way. To contain her, but things got out of hand. Baby, she would've killed others. Hurt innocent people if Benjamin didn't do what he did. She'd come at my brothers. At me."

Again, not what she wanted to hear, but true.

Holding his gaze, Bella allowed him to caress her soft cheek. "I wish she did," she murmured, shocking him to his very core. Hurting him beyond imagining. Her eyes, which he'd thought begun to warm, hardened. "I wish she slaughtered every one of you. If she did, you'd all be dead, and she'd be alive. And I wouldn't be alone."

Did her voice quiver? he wondered. Or was it simply wishful thinking?

Edward rested his forehead against hers. "That's not true. You have me," he promised. She'd always have him. "I know everything's a mess. I know part of you hate's me. But I'm here, Bella. I'm yours. All of me. You'll never be alone. Not as long as I'm here. I love you. I know, somewhere deep down, you still love me."

It's the one thing Edward knew beyond a shadow of a doubt. On a relationship based on secrets and lies, he knew their love was real.

Bella loved him. No matter how dark she got or how far she fell, she loved him.

A sharp, searing pain in his abdomen had Edward doubling over, stealing his breath. A grunt torn from his lips as unyielding steel slid into soft flesh. Whose dagger she used, he didn't know.

Betrayed, hurt, he looked at her unreadable expression. His hand instinctively dropping from her face, placing pressure on his wound. He felt the wooden hilt of the dagger clenched in her small fist.

Her hand snapped out, gripping ruthlessly in his hair, yanking him to her. Against his ear, she gritted out, "I don't love you." Twisting the blade she'd concealed, he groaned. He wanted to beg her to stop but knew his pleas would fall on deaf ears. "I don't want you. I feel nothing but pain. Rage. _You_ did this. You took her from me. I will destroy everything you love right before your eyes. Helpless to do anything but watch. Just like I did, because of _you_." Bella shoved him away from her. Uncaring as he collapsed to his knees.

Edward stared, unable to do a damned thing when she took a step towards the witches.

The door burst open, crashing into the wall. Only his brothers didn't pour into the room. One man stood in the doorway. The male tall, and classically handsome. Powerful.

"Clara, stop!" he commanded, his voice as sharp as a whip.

 _Clara?_ Edward frowned, sickness rolling through his stomach like a tidal wave, he feared he'd vomit right next to Benjamin's corpse. _Who the hell is Clara?_

Bella whirled on the man, a hot look in her eyes. "I don't want to hurt you, Carlisle. But I will. So back off."

He stepped into the room. "I'm not here to stop you. I'm here with someone who wants to help. Someone who loves you."

She jabbed a finger at Benjamin's body. "He took the only person who loved me."

"That's not true."

Bella's hard, cruel expression fell as if it never existed. Her face softening. Becoming so unbearably vulnerable, it stole his breath.

Carlisle hadn't spoken the words, or Edward, but a woman.

"Jessica," Bella breathed the name reverently, her eyes bright with wonder. And for the first time since Edward walked into the room, she looked like Bella.

A very much alive Jessica, glided into the room. Walking around Carlisle, she ignored Edward, tossing a quick glare at the dead body on the floor. "I've got to say, I always wondered what might happen if you were more like me. Turns out, when you go dark, little sister, thing's get bloody. And flammable," she drawled.

Coming to a stop in front of her little sister, Jessica flashed a sweet smile. Edward knew now, why Bella loved her sister so much. Jessica, despite being a monster to the rest of the world, loved her sister.

Staring at her, seeing how she looked at Bella, he finally understood why Bella stood by her. Bella didn't see her as a killer, or a psychopath. A heartless bitch who killed for shits and giggles. She saw her twin. Who Bella loved her deeply.

"Hey, little sister."

Bella whimpered. "How are you alive?" she croaked. A fingertip, trembling and bloody, reached over to stroke her sister's pale cheek. Jessica didn't grimace at the sight of blood, the violence she must now know her sister is capable of.

Jessica grimaced. "I'm not. I'm kind of on loan," she chuckled. "Carlisle, apparently, pulled a few strings. Cashed in a few favours, to get me here. He knew you needed me."

Bella bit her lip, trying bravely to hold back her tears. "I do," she replied, her lower lip trembling. Sounding so young, small, it hurt him more than his agonizing wound. "I need you. I feel lost without you."

Jessica looked as if she might cry herself. "I know. And I know you're angry. I remember how it feels," she said. "The rage, the hate. I know what it does to you. What it turns you into. I don't miss it."

A smiled bloomed on Bella's lips. A full blown 'Bella' smile. "The curse has ended for you, too," she stated.

Jessica nodded. "It has. I'm dealing with my memories. The pain I caused." She brushed her Bella's hair out of her face with a gentle hand. "But, forget that for now. I'm here to help you."

Shaking her head slightly, she protested, "I don't need help. I need them to die."

Jessica let out a small, sincere chuckle. "Wow, that sounded so weird coming from you. Besides, if we're being honest, I kind of had it to coming to me." She cupped Bella's cheek. Much like Edward, before she stuck a knife in his gut. "But you don't need to do this. This isn't you, Bella. It's time to stop now," she said gently.

Bella shook her head, harder this time. "I can't. They took you away from me." She raised her dry, clean hand, holding it against her head as if in pain. "I've heard your voice in my head since I can remember. Now? There's nothing. It's so quiet. Empty. I'm all alone," she cried.

Jessica took her hand, bringing her sisters hand to her lips. Pressing the sweetest of kisses there. "No, you're not. I will always be with you. No one can change that. Only this time, I won't be here." She touched her sister's temple. "I'll be here." Releasing her twin's hand, she held hers over Bella's heart. "I'll be with you every step of the way. Every time you're angry, or sad. Every time you laugh. I'll be here," she whispered, a single tear rolling down her cheek. "I'll be here when you get married. When you've got a house full of beautiful babies. I'll be with you through it all. I love you, Bella. I love you more than anything. Always. That's why the curse never truly worked. Not when it came to you. Our love, our bond, is stronger than anything. Than any curse. A little thing like death won't change that."

Bella bit her lip. "Promise?"

"I promise." She cupped the back of Bella's neck, bringing her close to whisper, "I promise you, there will never come a day when I won't be by your side. You may not hear me, but you'll feel me. I love you, my Bella, and a little thing like death cannot keep us apart. I promise you. "

Bella let out a watery laugh. Throwing her arms around her sister, her voice shaking as she declared, "I love you. Always."

Jessica kissed her hair. "Always," she echoed.

Jessica vanished. Gone. Leaving Bella holding nothing but air. For one, painfully long moment, she stood there. She reminded Edward of the boy's he grew up with. The one's dragged to the training camps, kicking and screaming. He remembered one boy who begged his parents to take him with them. He didn't want to stay. After prying his tiny fingers from their clothing, they walked away. In a state of shock, he sat there. Waiting for them to come back.

Edward remembered the crushed look on his face once he finally accepted they'd never return.

It's the look Bella portrayed now. Only, so much worse. She'd gotten her sister back, only to lose her all over again.

Her face crumbled as her grief hit her once more, knocking her feet from under her. She hit the floor with a sickening thud but didn't seem to notice. Bowing her head, sobs overtook her. Her tears weren't quiet or pretty. Every sob torn from her very soul. With every tear, his heart ached for her.

The flames died, leaving behind charred walls. Emmett fell to the ground, smashing through Benjamin's antique dresser. The witches slowly pushing themselves up. His brothers crowded round the doorway.

Edward sat there, bleeding heavily. He didn't give a shit. Let him bleed out. Nothing compared to the pain of witnessing her misery.

No one moved. No one knew what to do in the sight of such raw anguish.

Remembering his promise, she'd never be alone, Edward started to crawl to her. The male, Carlisle, shook his head, stilling him. Carlisle went to her, scooping her up into his arms.

Bella pressed her face into his shoulder, muffling the sound of her weeping.

Edward opened his mouth to apologise once more. Needing her to know he's here.

"No, Edward," Carlisle said, stopping him. "She's been through so much. She needs time to heal. Unfortunately, she can't do that with you."

Edward winced. Though Carlisle stated the truth, the reminder of what he'd lost was painful. He couldn't be the man to take care of her. Not after all he'd done.

Not knowing what else to do, he nodded slightly, his eyes taking her in. Memorising her. So in the lonely years to come, he'd at least have the memory of he to look back on.

Carlisle, with Bella in his arms, disappeared. Leaving Edward on the floor, wounded, his heart shattering into tiny pieces, like broken glass in the middle winter, wondering if he'd ever see her again.

#

Carlisle carried his precious bundle through the long, dark hallways of his home.

She lay in his arms, tears flowing quietly down her cheeks. Her silent weeping cutting him to his core.

Carlisle closed his eyes against the image of her standing there, covered in blood, and a body at her feet. He'd come close to losing her tonight. If not for his quick thinking, for her twin's presence, she would've burned that place to ground without a care. Lost herself to the darkness within, like her sister so many years before.

He'd called in a lot of favours tonight. He begged, demanded, and threatened. It worked. Avery's spirit willingly returned to the world of the living, leaving the one place she finally found peace, because her sister needed her.

Carlisle's plan worked flawlessly. Avery found Clara in the midst of her grief and talked her down in only the way a sister could. Then she'd gone. Only, this time, they got the chance to say goodbye.

Now Carlisle must face Clara's tears, her sadness, alone. Aid her as she mourned her sister. Teach her how to control her developing abilities. Though she didn't seem to need much help there, he thought ruefully. Clara took to her gifts like a fish to water.

He came to a stop at the end of a hallway. Her bedroom. He decorated two bedrooms many years ago. One for Clara and one for Avery. He did it at a time when he foolishly thought maybe, just maybe, he'd raise them himself. But, he didn't how to raise two little girls. He couldn't even explain their curse to them without a five-year old Clara bursting into tears. Asking if he really meant it when he called her a side-effect.

No, he couldn't raise them himself, so he'd done the right thing. After their parent's death's, before the 'side effect' comment, when they were babies, he gave them away. Found two couple's he believed would raise them well.

While Carlisle accepted his inability to raise them, it didn't mean he didn't want them. He loved them. At first, because they came from David. His only friend. Second, because in all his long life, no one made him feel the way the twins did with only the flash of a smile.

Booting the door open, he carried her inside. Her room now suited for a woman rather than a child. With a thought, sleeping candles woke. Each burning a brilliant flame at Carlisle's silent command. Striding over to the four-poster bed, he lay her down on top of soft sheets.

Sitting beside her, he felt utterly useless. She wrapped her arms around her waist, as if holding herself together.

When she whimpered, he leaned down to brush a kiss to her hair, whispering nonsense. Anything he could think of to soothe her.

"She's gone, Carlisle. She's really gone," she wept softly.

Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, with a tenderness he didn't believe himself capable of, he replied, "I know."

She sniffled. "She's gone."

Carlisle didn't know what to say. How to make it better. He'd lived for centuries, met countless people, experienced things ten times over, he should be able to comfort the only person who mattered.

"I can't feel her," she said. "Not in my head or my heart. She said I would, but I can't. I can't feel her. I'm alone."

His heart, usually stoic, unfeeling, exploded. Pinching her chin, he turned her head, forcing her to look at him. Waiting until her tear-filled eyes focused on his face. "Look at me, little one." He said the word's purposely. Her twin used to call her little sister, but she paraphrased the endearment from him. He knew she'd latch onto those words like a drowning man desperate for air, because they reminded her of her sibling.

"I promised your father on the day of your birth, before the curse and the mess it created, I stood there with you in one arm, your sister in the other, and I swore I'd watch over. When you came to me, after your parents bravely handed you over for safekeeping, I vowed I'd breathe my last to save you both." He closed, his own sense of failure threatening to consume him. "I couldn't save your sister. I will not lose you, too." He stroked her cheek sweetly, wiping away her tears. "You are not alone. As long as my heart beats, you will never be alone."

Her lower lip trembling, her eyes overflowing with hot tears, she broke down in another round of sobs. "I feel so lost. It's like I don't even know who I am, anymore. What I did to that man," she gasped.

"Wholly deserved," he assured. He meant it. They took away one of the only two people he cared about in the world. He'd never forgive what they'd done to his girls. Or himself, for not paying closer attention.

"But that's my point. I don't regret what I did. I reached into his chest, I stole his heart while he screamed. I don't regret it. I'm not ashamed of my actions. I don't wish for the chance to turn back time. I'm glad he's dead." She looked into his eyes. "What's happening to me?"

Carlisle lifted one side of his mouth in a humourless smile. "What we always wanted. When your sister died, the curse ended. No longer will you have limitations on what you feel, or experience. Hate, anger, envy. There is no emotion forbidden to you. It's important you learn how to control your emotions."

"I don't know if I can," she said. "I'm not sure I even want to." She blinked hard, trying to stop the flow of tears. "I feel like I'm losing myself. I don't know what to do next."

"Don't think about that now. You need to rest more than you need to learn control. Close your eyes. Think of nice, soothing things."

"I can't. When I close my eyes, all I see is my sister dying. I see him, standing over her, smiling. I feel it building up in me again. I can't think of nice, soothing things anymore."

"Yes, you can. The curse isn't the reason your heart is good. Beautiful. It's always been you. You simply need time to find yourself again. You will. Now, close your eyes. Sleep," he ordered.

Before she protested further, Carlisle sent himself into her mind. Commanding her to rest, to slumber deeply until she regained the strength to face the world again. The violence she's now capable of.

"Sleep," he repeated softly.

Covering her with a blanket, he knew the road ahead would be a rough one. For twenty-nine years, she'd been bound by her curse. Not only must she grieve over her slain twin, she must learn to control her emotions, her magic. For that she needed her strength. Right now, with everything happening to her, his ward ran on fumes. Carlisle gazed down at her, feared for her.

Sending himself into her mind once more, he made certain she slept. That she got the rest she needed until ready to face the world once more. To face herself.

Bella slept for a long time.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

"So, I've been thinking," Jasper began, ducking Edward's punches with ease. "I think you should give Angus to me. I mean, I'm here more than you. Especially lately. You're off gallivanting while poor, sweet Angus pines for you. If I'm his master, his best friend, he won't be alone. I rarely leave my room."

Using his forearm to wipe the sweat from his brow, Edward said, "No."

"Oh, come on." Jasper practically stomped his foot on the canvas like a spoiled toddler.

Breathing heavily, Edward repeated, "No." He gestured with his bare hands for Jasper to come at him. Both able to take a punch, they didn't bother using protective gear in the ring together. Usually, they left sweaty, bruised, and a little bloody. Today, only Edward got the shit kicked out of him.

Covered in sweat, huffing like an old lady after rushing for a bus, Edward's entire body throbbed. Jasper, on the other hand, was dry as bone, his breathing steady as he pleaded to adopt Edward's dog. His shoulder length hair pulled back into a short, stubby tail, because recently he decided he bared a strong a resemblance to a character from one of his television shows. Edward vividly remembered the character from the one episode Jasper begged him to watch. Jason something-or-the-other, might possibly be part giant.

Edward feared what Jasper saw when he looked in the mirror. He didn't see the man everyone else saw, that's for damn sure. Jasper's pale skin-he really needed to get outside a little more- and blonde hair, he looked nothing like the character. Still, he couldn't be convinced.

"Come on," he ordered, wanting nothing more than to lay down, but refusing to give in.

Six months ago, after that dreadful night, his brothers spoke, loudly, of declaring war. Striking at Bella. Edward looked them dead in the eye, calmly stating if any of them laid a single finger on her, he'd personally make them suffer. Benjamin's violent demise would be considered a mercy killing compared to what he'd do to them.

Sadly, things between him and Emmett remained strained since the night Bella almost burned the mansion down. No longer sharing late night conversations over a glass of scotch, they rarely talked at all unless it involved an assignment.

Fine with him. He understood Emmett's resentment, his anger towards him. The woman Edward loved broke into his home, almost destroying it, and slaughtered one of his men under his nose. She also treated the commander of an ancient brotherhood like her little bitch, hurling him against the ceiling.

Edward refused to apologise. Asking for forgiveness felt like admitting to a mistake. Agreeing Bella was their enemy.

Bella. Edward clenched his jaw at the memory of her assault. Warm brown eyes flashed in his mind before he could help it.

Thoughts of her plagued his waking hours, haunting his dreams. An hour didn't go by when he didn't think of her. Wonder what she's doing, if she's okay. Did she think of him from time to time? Did she miss him the way he missed her?

He hoped so.

He doubted it, but he hoped so.

Edward made no attempt to find her in the last six months. Or contact her. Carlisle, whoever the hell he is to Bella, said she needed time to grieve. To heal. If time is what she needs, then he'd give it to her. He refused to force himself into her world, again, because his life sucked without her in it.

Edward put all his energy into his work. He hunted demons, he trained new recruits. He protected his men, humanity, from evil.

He put his all into his work, because his duty, the oath he took, might be all he had left.

Jasper whined. "Oh, honey, why must we fight? Can't we just snuggle? I'll be the little spoon," he said in a sing song voice.

"Jasper," he said tightly.

His friend rolled his eyes, walking over to his corner where he picked up two bottles of water. Tossing one to Edward, he twisted the cap off, sipping his drink while Edward gulped his. Downing the bottle within seconds.

Leaning down, Edward picked up his t-shirt, using it to mop up the sweat covering his face, neck, and bare chest.

"You want to know what I think?" Jasper tossed Edward another cold bottle of water.

Edward reached up, snatching it out of the air before drinking deeply once more. Ignoring him.

"I think," Jasper began anyway, "you're hiding. I've watched you. You're hiding in work, in hunting, in this gym. You're hiding from her."

Edward shot him a dark look. "Don't go there. Besides, she wants nothing to do with me. Destined to be together or not, she doesn't want me. I don't blame her."

"She just lost her sister," he reasoned. "Her weird curse, shot to shit. Anyone would be emotional." He shrugged, a careless gesture. "What the witch did, curse of no curse, is deplorable. But she's also Bella's blood."

"Don't you think I know that? And what about Benjamin? Who, by the way, loved Mike. How did we not know?"

Jasper made a face. "Because it's none of our business. Besides, it didn't surprise me. Mike banged anything that moved. Anyway, where was I? Oh, yeah. Fuck Benjamin! The little bitch held your girl at knife point. Played possum during a battle to the death. That's just rude, if you ask me. It shows bad form. I'm all about taking out the enemy, no matter what it takes, but come on, have a little pride. When I think of whatever it takes, it means dragging your mangled, twitching body across a muddy, corpse ridden, battlefield. It does not mean pretending you're dead, or whatever the hell he did, like a little bitch. I never liked him, bro. He deserved to get his heart ripped out. Which, by the way, how fucking hot is that? Your woman is hard-core. I'm not going to lie, it turns me on. A lot."

Edward shook his head at his friend's ramblings. Trust Jasper to get aroused by the thought of a woman plunging her hand into a man's chest during battle.

 _Who am I kidding?_ Edward thought. He found it hotter than hell, too.

"I thought Emmett might spontaneously combust. He sees her as our enemy." He grimaced "I'm not much better, in his eyes, either."

"Who cares what he thinks? If the man got laid, maybe pulled that gigantic stick out of his ass, we'd all be a lot happier. If he thought about something other than the Bràthaireil, he'd understand."

Edward shook his head impatiently. "Why are we talking about this? It's pointless. She doesn't want anything to do with me. She detests me. I've got the scars to prove it." His fingers instinctively tracing the ugly scar on his stomach. A constant reminder of that night. Along with faint lines on his forearms, where she'd clawed at his arms, desperate to escape his grasp.

Jasper dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "Flesh wound. Physical evidence of her love. Don't you dare bitch and moan about those scars. I've seen the ones on your back," he said, his voice dipped low, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Edward smirked. He remembered the night she put those marks on him. Hottest night of his life. He didn't need a reminder, but he wanted one.

"You let her mark you," Jasper commented. "We're Warrior's. If we scarred every time we bled, we'd look like Frankenstein's ugly little brothers from shaving alone. You let her leave those marks on you because you wanted to remember the good times with her."

"Why are you doing this?" Edward demanded through gritted teeth. Thinking about her, the good times they shared, it hurt.

Jasper closed the space between them, resting a hand on Edward's shoulder. "Because she makes you happy. You deserve happiness. You love her, Ed, you're just scared shitless she'll reject you if you go to her. While I think it's adorable, you're acting like a pussy. Afraid of going after what you want, who you want, in case she confirms your worst fears."

Edward scowled as the 'pussy' remark, shoving Jasper's hand off while his brother snickered. "She has to make the first move," Edward insisted. "She need's time. Believe me, the moment she wants me back in her life, I'll go running. Until she does, I'll give her what she needs."

"What about your needs?"

"What I need doesn't matter."

Before Jasper could protest, Tyler entered the gym, heading over to them, a potted plant in gripped his hands.

Jasper glanced at him. "Go back to bed, honey. Mommy and daddy are talking."

Edward couldn't contain his laughter at Tyler's quizzical expression. He'd seen plenty of men cast Jasper the same look after spending time with him on the battle field. There's only one word to describe Jasper while hunting. Vicious.

It confused the men. How is it possible for a fearsome, merciless fighter to turn back into a dork when the clock struck midnight?

"Ignore him, Tyler. What's up?"

"Sorry to interrupt. This just arrived."

Jasper placed a hand over his heart. "For me? You shouldn't have. It touches me deep down, Tyler, it really does. Not only in my happy zone, but my heart, too."

"Okay," he drawled. "I didn't even know the house got deliveries."

Jasper pouted. "Tease."

Edward ignored Jaspers teasing. "Of course, we get deliveries. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, this house is like any other. We get bombarded with take-out menu, too, just like everyone else."

"Good to know." Stepping up, he handed the plant to Edward. "This is for you."

Scowling at Edward, Jasper asked, "How come you always get deliveries while I get nothing?"

"You get them."

He smirked. "Skin magazines don't count, bro."

Edward laughed. "Why does a man like you, obsessed with the internet, insist on buying porn magazines?"

"I'm an old soul," he explained. "Besides, it's too easy to hack into someone's computer. Find out someone has an Agalmatophilia fetish." He gave Tyler a knowing look.

His eyes widening, Tyler almost fell to the gym floor in his rush to get away. Mumbling something about being on patrol tonight, he rushed from the gym.

"Don't mess with him like that. He's a good kid."

"Yeah? He better put on his big boy pants and get over it. I change for no one."

"Not even for a woman?" Edward challenged. He said the same thing once, a long time ago. He changed without even realising it after he met Bella.

Jasper snickered at the idea. "It will take a very special woman to change me."

"We'll see," Edward replied. Emmett claimed it possible, though rare, for Warrior's to love. If Jasper ever found someone special, he wouldn't know what hit him. Then again, he'd have to leave the house for that to happen.

Edward opened the tiny envelope tucked in the soil. Reading the words on the card, he grinned from ear to ear. Joy flourishing like sunshine within him, he re-read the neatly written words.

Maybe things weren't as hopeless as he feared.

#

 _It's good to be home,_ Bella thought, kneeling in front of her flowerbed. Spring arrived and, despite neighbours taking care of her garden, she had a lot of work to do.

With a contented smile lifting her lips, she buried her fingers in the soil, sending energy into the earth. Encouraging her garden to grow rich and strong.

Returning home, Bella discovered Carlisle, at some point, had wiped the memories of half the town. Her neighbours, who witnessed the battle on her front yard, didn't remember a thing. Neither did Angela, who believed she received a gash on her head thanks to a nasty fall during a late night run.

Jacob and Amanda, the woman who worked in the grocery store, were now dating. She thought of sweet, funny, wholesome Amanda. A cheerleader in high school, she went to church every Sunday, enjoyed spending time with family. Confessed she wanted a house full of noisy kids. No curses placed on her before birth, no secret magical powers or murderous siblings.

Everything Jacob wanted in a woman. In a wife.

Bella planned to spend the day tending to her garden, rejoicing at the sound of birds in the trees, a gentle breeze blowing her hair, sun warming her skin. Thanks to her meltdown in the diner recently, she had plenty of time on her hands.

Her gaze flickering across the street, she spotted a Mustang parked outside the house next door. New neighbours, she assumed, before returning her attention to tending her flowers.

James and Vicky, her next-door neighbours, moved out months earlier, the gossips informed her. Sold their house to help with their financial situation and moved in with her mother in order to save a little money.

Her new neighbours moved in the day before, but she was out with friends, so she'd yet to meet them. It felt good to catch up with her friends. A little awkward at first, but gradually, she began to relax, enjoying their company. The stories she shared with them of her travels held some truth. She did travel the world in the month's she'd left town. Her friends listened, fascinated, requesting to see photographs she claimed she didn't think to take. Who forgot to take photo's when travelling across the globe? they demanded.

If only they knew how she really spent the last six months, Bella thought. Or the mess she'd been most of that time.

#

 _One month earlier…_

Time healed, or so people claimed.

Five months ago, Bella would have called those people liars. She'd be wrong. Time truly did heal. She only wished it helped forget.

Bella's body sliced through the cool water, she urged herself to move faster. Placing her feet against the smooth wall of Carlisle's indoor pool, she began her ninth lap, the force of her push-off driving her forward.

She loved swimming. Here, she didn't need to watch her temper, or concentrate on keeping her mind blank. In the water, she didn't worry about flying into a rage over something as silly as the time Carlisle refused to watch her favourite movie.

In the pool, she only needed to focus on driving her body through the water. Since realizing its effect, she swam every day. Some days she didn't bother doing laps, instead floating on the surface, staring up at a brightly lit ceiling. Other days, she dived in, swam lap after lap until too exhausted to think. Until so tired, all she wished for is flopping onto her bed, and sleeping the day away.

Bella didn't want to face the world. Or worry about throwing a hissy fit and destroy Carlisle's house over something petty because she'd yet to master control of her abilities.

Yes, exhausting herself seemed a much better alternative.

Bella spent the last month this way. She liked it. An odd, imperfect, routine, some might say, but hers. She knew what to do after opening her eyes each morning. Get up, eat breakfast, read or go for a walk, then eat lunch. After lunch, pass the time by watching television, since it's advised against going swimming until at least an hour after eating a meal. Then, after the hour finally came to an, hit the pool. There she'd do laps until her body trembled. After that, dinner with Carlisle and bed.

Simple times.

It couldn't last forever, she'd have to pick up her life eventually. But, for now, she needed her monotonous routine. It kept her sane.

Bella spent the month's prior touring the word with Carlisle. He appeared determined to show her, while the world they lived in may be a cruel one, there is beauty.

In Asia, they travelled to Bhutan. To see a monastery, Taktsang Palphug, built into the mountain side over ten thousand feet above Paro Valley.

They walked along the Sagano Bamboo Forest in Japan. Craning her head to stare up at the towering stalks as they made their way down the path.

They flew over the Himalaya's at sun rise.

After that, they travelled to Australia. The country where her sister lived and fled from. Walking the streets where her sister grew up made her feel closer to her twin. Carlisle took her to the school Jessica attended, her favorite hangout spots, the house where she lived while growing up.

After that, he set out to show her even more beauty.

The Uluru, or Ayer's Rock, in the Northern Territory. It stood at over a thousand feet, changing color during the year.

In South Australia, the largest mountain range, Flinders Ranges. The cave paintings said to date back tens of thousands of years.

While in the area, they went to Kangaroo Island where she observed the Remarkable Rocks. Eroded granite boulders around five hundred million years old. Wind erosion causing it's beautiful curves.

Dorrigo National Park in New South Wales, viewing a waterfall from the inside at The Crystal Shower Falls.

He set out to show her beauty, brilliance, the world offered. And yet, she couldn't bring herself to appreciate any of it. Bella stared at these breath-taking sights with indifference. Yes, they're beautiful. Yes, they're impressive. To anyone else on the planet, the trip was one of a life time. Something they'd tell their grandchildren about. The beauty in the world, it's natural wonders, something impossible to describe, or forget.

To Bella, just another thing she'd never share with her sister. A painful reminder she'd never link up with her sister, share her experiences with her, again. The path to her sister's mind now gone. It died with her. Still, she tried...

To open her mind, to share with her twin the wondrous sights, instinctive to her. When nothing happened, when her sister's voice failed to greet her, it felt like losing her all over again. For those few seconds, when she opened her mind, searching for her twin, she forgot. The bitter reminder that followed, almost too much for her battered heart to bear.

Unfailingly patient, not once did Carlisle lose his patience. He held her when she cried, sat quietly while she paced in the middle of the night. He didn't even reprimand her when she hurled a lamp at his head. He ducked, she remembered now with a rueful grin. Despite the lamp incident, Bella felt closer to him than ever. After all, he's the only one who shared her grief. The only person, apart from herself, who loved Jessica.

He became her constant companion. Her devoted friend. He gave her time. Space. He understood her struggles. Forgave her when she flew into one of her rages. The lamp being one of many items she hurled his way during the last few months.

He allowed her to lock herself away, at first. After she woke from her long sleep, she hid in the shadows. He let her be. Only insisting she eat and drink.

Eventually, after spending almost a month in darkness, he dragged her into the light.

Bella found it gruelling at first. Almost too much to make it through the day, but, to her astonishment, it got easier. The lead weight around her neck, drowning her, easing with time.

Carlisle, her guardian in every sense of the word, helped bring her back to life. He stood back when she needed space, pushing when he decided she needed a kick in the ass. He showed her the world. But, most importantly, he listened.

"Clara!"

Grabbing onto the side of the pool, Bella panted, struggling to catch her breath. Wiping water from her eyes, she looked up to see him standing there, peering at her with dark serious eyes.

"What's up?" she asked. Pushing off, she kicked her legs softly, treading water.

"It's time," Carlisle announced.

"Time for what?"

Folding his arms across his chest, he said, "It's time for you to go back to your life."

"What? You're kicking me out?" Her heart thudded painfully at the thought.

He scowled. "No. I'd never do such a thing." Bella relaxed. "You're going to return to your home willingly."

Bella tensed, her heart beating nervously in her chest. "I'm not ready."

He crouched down, mindful of the water. "Yes, you are."

"I blew up the television two days ago," she protested.

"I'll admit, there are still a few kinks," he agreed. "But it will take time. Years. You cannot continue to put your life on hold. You left a lot behind. Your job, your home, your friends. Your cat."

"Todd is spending some quality time with Mrs. Young. I'd never leave him to fend for himself," she added indignantly, offended he implied such a thing.

Carlisle remained patient, yet persistent. "It's time. You've been with me for five months. You're hiding."

"With good cause," she snapped. "I'll know when I'm ready. And I know, right now, I'm not. I need more time. So, unless you toss me out, I'm here to stay for a little while longer."

She twisted, swimming away from him. _I'm not ready_ , Bella thought. She may never be ready to return to the place where Jessica died.

A little while later, as Bella waited for Carlisle to call her for dinner, she stood, listening to one of her favorite artists. At one time in her life, she'd be spinning around the room, singing along to every word. Now she stood, watching the disk spin round and round on the tray.

Bella didn't want to sing, or dance, but she wanted to want to. She may not be herself quite yet, but she believed herself a little closer with each passing day.

As the song changed, she sensed him, looming behind her. She hadn't spoken a word to him since his failed attempt to convince her to leave.

"If you're not here with food, go away, Carlisle. I'm not in the mood for you to tell me to leave."

"I'm not here to convince you to move on with your life."

Bella lips twitched. "What? You here to cheer me up? If Taylor can't do it, no one can." She flashed a forced smile over her shoulder. "See? I made a joke. Maybe I'm not completely dead inside."

Carlisle hesitated before asking, "Who is Taylor?" Before he gave her the chance to answer, she felt him there, searching her mind for the answer. "Oh," he muttered. "The performer they discuss on the program you enjoy so much. The woman they say is promiscuous."

The lamp sitting on the bedside table shattered.

Bella turned to him with a sheepish grin. "Sorry. I guess slut shaming is something that pisses me off."

He nodded. "It's fine. You're still learning what your triggers are. Once you discover them, you can learn to control the way you react. Also, I'm not here to cheer you up. Someone else is. Meet me in the library."

Turning on his heel, Carlisle strode from the room.

Bella frowned. Someone else wanted to cheer her up? He's the only person she talked to for months.

Bella wanted to slam the door shut, ignore his command. Blast her tunes until she felt like herself again. She grimaced at the thought. Carlisle might have a point when he accused her of hiding.

That ended now. Straightening her shoulders, Bella put one foot in front of the other, making her way to the library. A room she, shockingly, spent little time in.

It reminded her of her favorite fairy tale. Multiple floor's, brightly lit, and covered from floor to ceiling with books. Paperbacks, hardcover's, it even housed audio tapes in a glass cabinet.

Everything her inner bookworm dreamed of. Only today, she didn't see the books. No, she only saw the couple standing in front of an open fireplace.

The last time she saw them, spoke to them, felt so long ago. It shamed her. She'd been selfish. She didn't stop to think how it affected them when disappeared.

Her parents deserved better than that.

"Mom? Dad," she squealed, flinging herself across the room, into their arms. She didn't realize how much she missed them. Not until now.

Charlie and Renee Stevens smiled at when they spotted their daughter. Eyes bright, they threw their arms open wide, waiting for her to run into their embrace.

Bella smiled. Nothing felt better than a group hug with her parents. She'd forgotten until now.

"What are you doing here?"

Renee, tears in her eyes, a watery smile gracing her lips, pulled back to take in her daughter. With her pale hair and sun kissed skin, she looked nothing like Bella.

Charlie could pass as her biological father, thanks to his dark hair and pale skin. He may not be the broadest, most psychically strong, of men but he knew how to hold on. Plus, his black wire framed glasses made him appear distinguished.

Renee brushed her fingers over Bella's face, concern evident in her eyes. "Well, after months of him promising us you're fine, too busy travelling to call or write, Carlisle came to us."

"He told us everything, Peanut," Charlie added.

Her mother looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. "I can't believe we never knew."

"That's why I chose you," Carlisle informed them, his face expressionless. "I found witches, like yourselves, who, while magical, couldn't identify the child they guarded."

Her mother's cheeks warmed. "Still, I feel so embarrassed. We may not be the most powerful witches, but we've done a little research since Carlisle filled us in. You're practically royalty in the magical world. You're a descendant of the Rose coven. The Sayer's."

Bella scoffed. "Yeah. Both want me dead. I'm nothing to them, mom."

"That's fine with me as long as they keep their distance," her father replied easily. "I don't want them anywhere near you. I still can't believe what they wanted to do to two innocent babies. Or the power you're capable of possessing. Carlisle should've given you to someone with more talent than us. Two novice witches who gave up the craft for a normal, small town life. You deserved more."

"No," Bella insisted, pulling her parents back into her embrace. "Mom, dad, I am so happy you are my parents. Perhaps you didn't raise me as a witch, but I had the best childhood. Filled with love and happiness and fun. I am so lucky Carlisle chose you."

"No," her mother argued, her voice trembling. "We're lucky ones."

Charlie lead his wife and daughter to the comfortable sofa in the middle of the library. "So," he began as they sat down. Carlisle stood in the corner, separating himself. "He told us about your sister. A sister you communicated with."

Bella nodded. "I didn't like lying to you, but if you found out I spoke to someone using my mind, you might ask questions. I've always known who I am, where I came from, and I knew I couldn't tell anyone. I felt so guilty for keeping it from you."

"You've kept this huge secret to yourself, for all these years?"

Bella shook her head. "No, not to myself. Jessica shared the same secret. She's the one person I didn't have to keep things from. She knew everything. I can't even remember the first time we spoke. She was always just… there." Her expression fell. "I really am sorry for lying to you."

Renee stroked a hand down Bella's hair. "It's okay, honey. We understand. Carlisle thinks you're ready to come home. We'd like that. I know your friend's miss you. We stopped in town last month, everyone asked about you. Even Jacob. They all think you're travelling. They can't wait for you to come home."

Bella pulled away from them. "I'm not ready."

Renee frowned. "Tell me what's wrong," she ordered in her 'mom' voice.

Bella's lips tugged in a wry smile. She could hide from Carlisle, herself, but not from her mother.

"When Jessica died, I did things… I killed a man. I enjoyed it," she admitted her dark secret. "Even now, when I think about it, I feel no remorse. What kind of person does that make me? How can I go back? Back to my old life, act like I'm the same woman from before all this happened? Everything's changed. _I've_ changed. I can't go back to where it all happened. I'll be living a lie."

"How is it living a lie?" Charlie demanded. "Bella, you're not a bad person. You're just no longer cursed."

"Dad, I wasn't cursed when I ripped out his heart. I did that. I wanted to hurt him. I _needed_ to watch the life drain from his eyes." She blew out a deep breath. Thought she might as well tell them everything. "Sometimes, when I think about it, the memory brings me pleasure."

"Of course, you do," her mother burst out, surprising her. "Bella, the man killed someone you love, right in front of you. He murdered your sister. Maybe, because you never experienced the darker side of human emotions, you can't understand why you reacted the way you did. You've always forgiven easily. Someone pushes you down in the playground? Two minutes later you're offering to share your cookies. Your fiancé breaks your heart? You try to see it from his point of view. I know it may sound strange, but reacting the way you did with this man, it's the most normal thing you've ever done."

"She's right," Charlie said. He pursed his lips, considering his daughter for a moment. "Peanut, do you think I'm a good man?"

"You're the best," Bella replied instantly.

He smiled. "Thank you. I'd like to think so myself, but what do you think I'd do if someone hurt you, or your mother?"

"I don't know. What would you do?" she asked quietly.

Her dad's, her sweet, kind, dad's voice hardened. "I'd track them down, do whatever it took to make them pay." He smiled and, just like that, shifted back to the man she'd known all her life. "It's natural. It's human nature. To want to hurt those who've taken someone so viciously from you. What you did, honey, while not something I suggest you make a habit of, is understandable. Natural. They took her from you, hurt you. You just experienced a side of human emotion you never felt before. Didn't know how control. You wanted revenge for your sister's murder. It doesn't make you a monster. It doesn't mean going back to your old life, picking up where you left off, is a lie."

"And continuing with your life doesn't mean you'll forget your sister. She's a part you, honey. You must live, carry on, for her. You can take her with you," her mother added as wrapped a silver charm bracelet, her bracelet, around Bella's wrist. The last time she wore it, it was slick, dripping with blood.

Bella sat there, taking in their words, their support. They loved her. Understood her. Understood her fears.

"I don't know if I can," she whispered.

Placing her hand on top of his daughters, Charlie smiled. "We'll come with you. We'll help you find your way again."

Bella looked to her mother, needing reassurance.

Renee nodded. "It's time to go home, baby."

#

A cheerful bark, the sound of paws pounding toward her drew Bella out of her memories.

"Angus," she giggled as he rushed to her, ears flopping everywhere, like she remembered. He rushed to her, planting his paws on her chest, frantically licking her face. Obviously, he remembered her, despite the amount of time since they last saw one another.

"Look at you!" She rubbed his ears, the way he liked. The tiny puppy who fit in her hands, replaced by a massive, excitable dog. "You've gotten so big. Strong, just like your name."

"I always knew he'd grow into it."

Bella's eyes darted toward the rumbling voice. Heart galloping in her chest, her eyes devoured the sight before her.

Edward stood there, looking sexier than ever in his white t-shirt and worn-out jeans. His hair a little longer, she noted, his body a little leaner, but still just as handsome. Those green eyes didn't miss a thing as he took her in.

Feeling at a disadvantage, Bella scrambled to her feet. She felt clumsy, flustered. She didn't care for it. She yearned for this moment and dreaded it at the same time. She knew he'd come if she sent the plant. Stupidly thought herself ready to face him. Believed she'd know what to say when she clapped eyes on him again.

Edward smiled, a slow sexy smile that stole her heart from the moment they met. "Hello, Bella. It's been a long time."

With Angus at her feet, Todd lounging in the sun, she shifted nervously from one foot to the other. Her fingers twisting the fabric of her summer dress.

"Did you get my plant?" Stupid thing to say, but the only thing that came to mind. Of course, he got her plant, otherwise he wouldn't be here.

"I did."

"Did you read the note?"

Humour danced in his eyes. "You mean the one saying 'Sorry I stabbed you'? Yeah, I read it."

Bella flashed him an impish smile. "I didn't know what else to write. I really am sorry," she added solemnly. It took her a long time, and one hell of a talking to from Carlisle, to realize Edward wasn't wholly to blame for what happened that night. Yes, he lied, he used her, but Carlisle helped her see things a little more clearly.

He nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. "I know you are. I am, too."

They stood, silence hanging between them. "I don't know what to say," she blurted out, unable to take it for a moment longer.

"Do you want to take a walk with me?" he asked confidently. "Just around the block."

She hesitated, biting her lip. Squaring her shoulders, gathering her courage, Bella nodded once. "Yes. I think I'd like that."

Edward waited while she slipped a pair of sandals on her feet. Angus no longer threw himself at the sidewalk, sniffing frantically, choking against his restrictive leash. Now, he ambled alongside Edward, his head high.

Bella felt a pang in her chest. She missed the puppy who once strained against his leash, so eager to see the world. To mark every street light, every mailbox.

After strolling in a companionable silence for a few minutes, despite what transpired between them, Bella started to relax. Walking along the streets she loved with him felt... right. It shouldn't, but it did. Bella didn't know how she felt about that, so she walked and enjoyed the sunshine.

This time, Edward broke the silence.

"So, what have you been up to since we last saw one another?"

She grinned ruefully. "You really want to know? It's not the most uplifting story."

"I want to know everything," he replied earnestly, his gaze steady on hers.

Bella scrunched her nose. "By 'everything', you mean, since I lost it one night, threatening to kill everyone you've ever cared about?"

She caught the flash of his white teeth. "Yeah. That," he drawled.

"Well, I went to live with Carlisle for a while. I stayed with him until about a month ago." She began to fill him in on her travels, the places she'd been. The slow, gradual, progress she made.

"You stayed with him for so long?" he asked, sounding shocked.

"Yeah," she blushed. "The first few weeks… I hardly remember. I cried, I screamed, I paced the halls at three in the morning, plotting everyone's death. Your death." Edward flinched, but he'd asked for the truth and she'd give it to him. "The rest of the time, I slept. I felt exhausted, all the time."

"You were grieving," he muttered.

Combing her hair out of her eyes, she agreed, "Yes. After a few weeks, the fatigue past. That's when I went into, what I like to call, my hermit phase. I never left the house. I stayed in my pyjamas. I watched movies. Read trashy romance novels. I didn't even shower until Carlisle threatened to toss me in a stream in the woods." She chuckled fondly at the memory. "He gave me time. Then we went travelling." She sighed. "God bless him, though. He's so good with me, so patient. He never lost his temper, not once." She grimaced, remembering her shameful behaviour. "Not even when I deserved it. One moment I'm laughing, the next, I'm trashing the living room because he pissed me off," she confessed.

She caught his distressed look, quickly banked. Scared to offend her, she supposed.

Bella offered him a wry smile. "For the first time in my life, I've got a temper. A pretty bad one, too. At the time, I didn't know how to control it. I'm still working on it, if I'm being honest. Some days are good. Some are bad. Carlisle not only gave me time to mourn, he taught me ways to calm myself. Counting to ten doesn't really work for me," she quipped.

"He sounds like a good man."

Warmth flowed through her when she thought of her guardian. "He is. He gently encouraged me at times. And others, he gave me a kick in the ass. When he worried I might be using his house as a place to hide from everything, he called my parents. He knew what I needed before I did."

"I'm glad you've got him." He sounded like he meant it.

"I always will," she stated confidently. "He saved us as babies. He saved me six months ago. He saved my soul."

"What was it like for you?" he asked out of nowhere. "When you were cursed?"

Bella scrunched her nose, struggling to find a way to explain something she'd only recently started to understand herself. "I never thought of it as a curse. At least, not for me. It's not until it ended, I realized how much I got screwed over because of it."

"Tell me."

"I couldn't defend myself. If someone bullied me, hurt me, or screwed me over, the curse didn't allow me to react the way any normal person would. I didn't even see I _was_ getting screwed over until now. I always thought of myself as happy. I made excuses for girls who bullied me in school, or the man who broke my heart, because my curse forbade me to react in any other way. I see now people took advantage. They thought, because I didn't hold it against them, it gave them free reign to walk all over me. The world is a cruel, brutal place sometimes, Edward, you know that. People took swipes at me because they saw me as an easy target. Sweet, happy, eager to please Bella won't fight back. They kept taking swipes at me, Edward, when I couldn't take a shot back. They took advantage of that, viewed me as a doormat to bully, to walk all over."

Edward walked beside her silently for a while before admitting softly, "I took advantage of you. In the bar, on the night we kissed, I knew you'd forgive me. That I'd be able to talk you around. I'm sorry for that."

"It's okay." And she meant it.

He changed the subject. "So, are you back at work yet?"

She pursed her lips. "Not really. I went back last week. Carlisle has a wicked talent for mind control so my job is waiting for me. But it didn't go too well."

"Why not?"

"I told a fussy customer in the diner to shove a stack on pancakes up his ass and die, when he complained about his food. Then I told Celia, maybe if she wasn't such a hard faced, cold bitch, her husband wouldn't have run off with another woman." She blew out a slow breath. "It's safe to say, I'm not ready to return to the work place just yet."

Edward threw his head back, let out a belly rolling laugh. The sight of his amusement, the sound of his laughter, still made her smile.

"Oh, that's excellent! I never liked the way she spoke to you."

"Well, she won't be doing it from now on, that's for sure," she drawled. Her job waited for, Carlisle made sure of that, but she needed more time to deal with Celia on an almost daily basis.

"Anyway, enough about me," she said as they turned the corner. "What's happening with you?"

Shadows entered his eyes and she guessed it must have been hard for him to stay around and clean up the mess she made. "I've been working a lot. Training with Angus. It took quite some time to get him to stop pissing in the bathroom," he muttered making her smile. He pulled her to a stop, his hand gentle on her arm, his eyes meeting hers with such love, it took her breath away. "Mainly, I've been thinking about you. Worrying about you. Missing you more than you could even imagine."

"Edward," she protested, weakly.

He squeezed her arm. "No. I need you to listen to me, just for a minute. Give me the chance to explain. Please."

 _You knew he'd come when you sent the plant_ , she reminded herself. "Okay."

Edward looked deeply into her eyes, speaking with such sincerity, she actually found herself believing him. "I am so sorry for lying to you. For my role in your sister's death. Yes, I accepted the assignment to watch you, to enter your life, but it all happened before I met you. Before I knew what you'd mean to me. I tried to fight it, that's why I acted so weird after our first date." He smiled suddenly, as if enjoying a private joke. "The moment I met you, it's like my heart recognized you. Believe me, I know how cheesy that sounds," he drawled. "But it's the truth. When I walked up your path in the rain that day, I didn't see a mark. Someone who might help me catch a killer. I saw a beautiful woman who made me smile. I just didn't want to admit it." He reached out, his fingers playing with a lock of her hair. Murmuring, "I tried so hard to stop it. I didn't want to like you, or care about you. I didn't want to be that kind of man. Like Mike. A man who didn't care if he crossed the line. Try as I might, I became that man. Every time I saw you, I liked you a little more. Still, I kept you at a distance. Then I saw you with him." He narrowed his eyes, making her smile. "I saw the woman I liked, who I reluctantly cared for, with another man. I didn't like it. For first time in my life, I found someone who I wanted more from. Not just for a night, or a few laughs. I wanted a relationship. I stopped fighting while you danced with him. And I fell so helplessly in love with you, Bella. But I knew what stood between us. I feared it might destroy us, destroy the future I wanted. So, I tried to keep it from happening. I went to Emmett, and we made an agreement. Your sister would imprisoned for the rest of her life, but she'd be alive."

"What changed?" she whispered, overwhelmed with everything he told her. Scared to believe he spoke the truth.

Fury sparked in his eyes. "Tanya." He growled the name. "She's the witch who lead us to you. She's been pissed at me for some time because I hurt her. She overheard my conversation with Emmett. She told Benjamin and, well, you know what happened next."

Bella started to walk again, slowly placing one foot in front of the other while her mind spun.

"Talk to me," he ordered gently. He didn't touch her now, but he wanted to, she sensed. Hunger burned bright in the endless depths of his emerald eyes. She knew all about hunger. It reflected in her eyes when she looked at him.

He'd been honest with her, right? Told her of his deceit, his plans to use her. She owed him the same.

"Edward, I hated you." He flinched, but he didn't look away. No, he squared his shoulders as if readying himself for whatever she said next. "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to hurt you."

"I know," he replied. "Please, don't worry about my feelings. Just talk to me," he said. Bella thought his softly spoken words sounded almost like a plea.

"Okay. I hated you," she repeated. "For a long time, I hated you. I wanted you to suffer. For hurting me, for taking Jessica away from me. Hell, just the mention of your name sent me flying into a rage."

"What changed?" he asked. He narrowed his eyes. "It did change, right?"

Bella pursed her lips, holding her laughter at bay. "Yes, it changed. Another thing I have to thank Carlisle for. Carlisle loved Jessica, he protected her. He's the only person, besides me, who misses her. Yet, when I wanted to come after you, your people, he told me to stop and think. He sat me down and made me see things clearly. I got to see a part of Jessica no one else did. I loved her, and she loved me. That's all that mattered." She swallowed hard, hating herself, but the words needed to be said. "But, to the rest of the world, she was a killer. Carlisle told me to take Jessica out of the equation. Asked me how I'd feel if a killer was on the loose, murdering innocent men and women. If a murderer took someone I loved, what would I want the authorities to do? I said whatever it took to stop them. He just looked at me. Sat there, quietly, until I realized what I said." She looked up at him, regarding him steadily. "I would want the cops, or whoever, to do whatever it took, Edward, to stop a murderer from taking more lives. Carlisle helped me see that's all you were doing. I don't like it. You still lied to me. You used me, and it will never be okay. But I understand why you did it."

"Where does that leave us?" he asked, sounding defeated.

"I don't know," she replied honestly, tears stinging her eyes. "I wish I saw a way for thing's to work out between us. I want to say yes, let's start over. But I don't know if I can. Too much has happened. I don't know if I can forget what you did. You shouldn't be able to forget what I did to you. I destroyed your home. I attacked your people. I killed your brother. I stabbed you!" Shame rose within her. She didn't regret what she did to Benjamin, but she did regret hurting him.

Softly, Edward said, "I'm not asking you to forget. Or forgive me." His smile so incredibly sweet, he added, "I'm asking you to take another walk with me some time. Give me a chance to show you who I really am. No lies. No secrets."

Bella caught her lower lip between her teeth. "I want you to be honest with me. I need to know everything."

Edward told her everything, leaving out no detail, big or small, as they slowly made their way back to her house, coming to a stop at her gate. She listened, never once interrupting. When he finished, when she knew everything, she wanted to know one more thing. He told her of his torment earlier, but she needed to hear it again.

"Were we real?"

Lifting his hand, tracing a gentle fingertip over her soft cheek for the first time in so long. To Bella, his tender touch felt like coming home. "Bella, from the moment I saw you, cursing at your door in the rain, we were real. We are real."

His words felt like a cool balm, soothing away her pain. Only, believing him, understanding his struggle, didn't mean they could move forward.

"God, this is a mess. I still love you, Edward. Despite everything we've done to one another, I do love you. I just don't know how we get past all this. If it's even possible."

He took her by the shoulders, lowering his head to stare deeply into her eyes. "I think it is. I love you. I want you. I'm willing to put in the work, to gain your trust. I'm not asking for everything right now, Bella," he swore to her. "I'm asking if I can take you to dinner some time."

She chuffed out a laugh. "Like a date?"

He grinned, hope shining in his eyes. He released one hand to brush back her hair, his touch as soft as a whisper yet she felt it to her very core. "Yeah, a date. Maybe go bowling. I know we can't change the past, we can't forget it, but I want you. I want you more than anything. If it means we take this at a snail's pace, then I'm happy to do that. If it means us being together, I'll do anything."

Bella inhaled deeply. If he's willing to forgive her for what she'd done, didn't she owe him the same?

More importantly, she missed him. She missed them. What they might one day share, if only she put her faith in him.

Jessica, she knew, would encourage her to take the risk. A hot guy who gave her butterflies, willing to give her the world if only she'd let him. They had a lot to work through, to forgive, but, in her heart, she knew he'd be worth it. _Say yes_ , her heart encouraged her. Take a chance on him. If she did, they'd find a way back to one another.

Listening to her heart, she said, "Tonight. My place at seven. I'll make you my famous fried chicken. A tangible apology for stabbing you."

Edward's smile lit his whole face. She'd never seen him so happy. In that moment, she knew she made the right choice. "It's a date."

He didn't kiss her, but he wanted to, she knew. His gaze roamed her face, lingering on her lips, before he released her. He walked a little further down the street, jumping over the white picket fence Martin built before losing his job.

"What are you doing?" she demanded as Angus chased after him.

"I'm heading home. I've got some unpacking to finish," he explained casually. No big deal.

Her jaw dropped. "You moved in next door? What about the Bràthaireil? Your life there?"

Edward shrugged powerful shoulders. "I walked away from it. I like this town. I like people in it. I thought it time for a change. I've spent my whole life fighting, putting my ass on the line so others can live happily ever after. It's my time. Higgins, I've come to find, is a good town to settle down in. Maybe get married, have a bunch of babies with the girl next door." He winked.

He moved across the country for her? Gave up everything for her. For the life he wanted with her.

Yes, she made the right decision, Bella thought. Despite the lies and secrets, the man in front of her was real. Their love real. And now, he lived right next door.

"That sounds good to me."

He threw her another wink. Confident, sexy as hell, he said, "See you tonight. Neighbour."


End file.
